How Roof Vents Work
Ventilation in your home occurs when the air inside the house rises and exits with the assistance of roof vents placed on your home. This air movement takes place continually and offers year-round benefits. Ventilation also minimizes the potential of dangerous mold and mildew from developing in the attic.
Intake ventilation is very important for use with each type of exhaust vents. For a balanced ventilation system each attic should have an equal amount of intake ventilation near the roof’s edge, in the overhang or under eave. With exhaust ventilation near the peak of the roof.
Without enough intake ventilation, the outer vent may pull air directly from one side directly out the other side. The problems with ridge vents pulling air in one side and out the other is that it will only be ventilating that part of the roof instead of the entire underside of the roof deck. Also, this could bring precipitation from outside to inside of the attic and cause mold. An improperly ventilated attic can lead to many issues.
In order to provide proper ventilation, the number of attic vents needed will have to be determined and properly installed.
Different types of roof ventilation:
- Turbine - static wind-driven roof vents - These provide ventilation by spinning naturally with the wind. Mostly round metal vents with fins to create turbo rotation. When hot air inside rises upward the turbines rotate, they withdraw the warm air out through the vent, thereby, changing the temperature inside and allows fresh air through doors and windows. Turbine vents have been used for many years.
- Louver - static roof vents - Deflect rain and insects while promoting airflow. Mostly used for high-pitched roofs and works well with soffit or gable venting.
- Soffit roof vents - These are positioned under the eaves allowing fresh air from outside to be drawn into the attic.
- Gable roof vents - Louvered type vents placed on the roof peaks placed on both ends of the home to create a draft.
- Powered roof vent units - Have thermostat typically included.
Air enters the attic through the placed soffits. These are in the bottom of the attic. The different temperatures, which enter the bottom, will push air through the attic area and out the top. Roof vents are spaced so that hot air rises in the attic and leaves through the roof vents. Proper roof ventilation can reduce your electric consumption.