Roof Vents For Attic Ventilation
A roof vent is an important part of an attic’s ventilation system. The roof vent allows your attic to breathe so that your roof system is protected from heat and moisture.
When a professional refers to an attic ventilation system they are meaning both the intake vents and exhaust vents. These vents work together to balance the vent system. Intake vents are placed at the bottom of your roof and allow fresh air from the outside to come into the attic. The air will then flow through the attic and out of the exhaust vents which are positioned at the top of your roof.
There are two types of intake vents for roofs. These two types are soffit vents and rooftop intake vents. For roofs with overhangs or eaves, usually, a soffit vent is used. This is because a soffit vent is positioned at the lowest point.
There are three types of exhaust vents static, powered and mechanical. Static vents do not use electricity since they use natural airflow. Ridge vents are static vents that are most commonly used because they blend in, Hip vents are static vents that are used on homes with a hip roof design, and roof louvers are static vents that are also known as box vents that are usually found on modern roof designs. Powered exhaust vents help to take out warm, humid air from the attic. They are powered by electricity, solar, or a combination of both. Roof-mounted powered exhaust vents are installed over the openings in the roof deck. Gable-mounted is a type of powered exhaust vent that is installed from inside the attic. Last, there are mechanical exhaust vents that use wind turbines to get power.
Every home and roof is different so which is the best? That depends on the type of roof, the design of your roof and your climate. Remember in order to balance your system, you need to use different types of exhaust vents in the same space.
