Roof vents are an essential component of a roof and a home in general. If you are observant, you may have seen a variety of roof vents in different locations. In this article, we will discuss the various types of roof vents and how they work. So, if you want to know your options, you should stick around to find out what would work for your home.
What are the Types of Roof Vents?
There are two major categories of attic ventilation systems: active and passive.
Active ventilation is the type that takes in fresh air from the external environment to displace stale air. Passive ventilation, on the other hand, depends on the wind to distribute air around. Both systems work well, making picking one over the other a bit challenging.
Without sufficient ventilation in your attic, problems could come up. When you use intake vents alongside exhaust vents, the exhaust vent will work more effectively and make your attic space cool. This combination will also reduce energy bills, avert ice dams, and extend your roof’s lifespan.
Intake vents let cool air from outside the building gain entry to the house. The warm air keeps rising and getting expelled as the cool air comes in. For the best result, you have to strategically position the vents to keep pressure even in areas with high and low humidity.
The primary purpose of an exhaust vent attached to the highest point of your roof is to allow hot and damp air and stale smells to exit your attic. The absence of an exhaust vent will cause moisture and heat to build up. When this happens, it causes damage to the roof.
Types of Active Roof Vents
Turbine vents
A turbine vent can draw air into your attic by means of convection without the effect of the wind. When correctly installed, turbine vents fan air in the attic 10–12 times per hour. This type of active vent is also known as a whirlybird. It has slats and unrestricted access to the attic, giving insects easy access.
On days with minimal breeze, turbine vents aren’t at their best because their blades require wind of a minimum of 5 to 6 miles per hour to start spinning. In the summer, where there is limited or no breeze, you might need more than turbine vents to make your home comfortable.
Ridge Vents (With a Baffle)
A ridge vent horizontally extends across the roof’s peak. Ridge vent roofs are designed to let the hottest attic air out through the rooftop. Although many homeowners employ this roof vent, it has a significant disadvantage: the absence of a filter. This causes insects, snow, and dirt to get trapped in it easily.
Hard-Wired Powered Attic Vents
Power vents have a low profile and utilize electricity to remove warm or hot air from the attic. They are typically located close to the roof’s ridge. In colder seasons, it is advisable to employ a humidistat to manage the function of your electric vents. Failure to do so might lead to leaks in your roof or a shorter roof lifespan due to condensation.
This electric-powered vent effectively removes hot air from the attic; however, it does so at a cost: increased electricity bills. So, when considering the benefits of using this vent, don’t forget to consider its impact on utility bills.
Solar-Powered Vents
Although solar-powered appliances utilize energy from the sun, their functions are very similar to traditional ones. With this type of vent, you don’t have to worry about your electricity bills increasing. However, it comes with its limitations.
Its drawbacks include shutting off when the solar battery is charging. This means that while the battery is charging, you may have to use your air conditioner. When this happens, it contributes to the increase in your utility bills. Due to limitations like this, people prefer to use more traditional vents to exhaust their roofs.
Types of Passive Roof Vents
Ridge Vents (Without a Baffle)
Ridge vents, as we said earlier, extend across the roof’s peak horizontally. This type of vent without a baffle makes it easy for insects, rain, snow, and dirt to get into your attic.
They are ideal for expelling the hottest attic air because they are located at the roof’s highest point. Additionally, they have the required surface area to expel a large amount of hot air due to the fact that they cover the whole roof.
When used in conjunction with intake vents like a soffit vent placed at your roof line’s button, ridge vents give the best vertical ventilation you can think of.
Box Vents
A box vent is a very common exhaust vent usually found on modern roofs. Box vents are also known as louver vents, static vents, or turtle vents. They have a compact size, which is a drawback for them. However, when you compare them to other ventilation options, they are flexible. You can position them in smaller areas that need ventilation. This vent type is ideal for roofs with several valleys and angles.
Gable End Vents
Gable vents are what we’d call old-fashioned. They are no longer in vogue, and you’ll only find them on homes with gable roofs. You can install this type of vent on any side of a gable roof.
This ventilation type circulates air in the attic through cross or horizontal ventilation instead of vertically. There is an assumption that most of the time, air gets into the attic from one side and comes out from the other.
You can find gable vents in different shapes and sizes. However, the type with a triangular opening beneath the ridge of the roof is the most common. The presence of dormers, peaks, rafter beams, and valleys on roofs with complex designs reduces the cross ventilation the vents activate.
Because air circulation from a vertical intake to a vertical exhaust is usually meddled with by cross breeze, gable vents may be an obstacle to other vents’ efficiency. Examples of such vents are ridge and soffit vents.
Soffit Vents
The soffit vent is the most used type of intake ventilation. These vents are available in different styles, with the most prevalent being soffit vents that have openings close to the peak that allow fresh air into the attic and expel the hot air out.
Fascia Vents
This is a recent addition to the types of vents. They work well for roofs that lack large eaves adequate to hold soffit vents. Fascia vents are usually installed above the gutter and fascia board.
Unlike soffit vents that depend on the air coming up, fascia vents permit air intake where the wind hits the roof. They are ideal for homes that have roofs with complex shapes.
Drip Edge Vents
You can build a drip edge vent in a drip edge or install it later whenever it occurs to you to do so. That’s because drip vents are easy to add to a traditional roofing material.
Drip edge vents are different from fascia vents due to how they are placed. Installing this vent requires expertise, despite being easy to include in your roofing system.
With fascia vents, the drip edge draws in air from beneath the roof and sends air up through the underside and out through the exhaust.
Cupola Vents
This type of vent is not common for a couple of reasons, including its high cost and complexity. In addition, some people just don’t need it because it wouldn’t solve the problem they need to solve. Although cupola vents used to be for cooling and ventilation, now people mostly use them for beautification.
Conclusion
Active and passive vents are the two main categories of attic ventilation. Your attic needs adequate ventilation to avoid damage to your roof and home in general. Now that you know the different types of roof vents in each category, we believe the knowledge will help you make the best choice for your roof and attic ventilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of vent is best for my roof?
For most homes, soffit vents and ridge vents for air intake and exhaust, respectively, will be ideal. However, box vents can also do an excellent job of expelling musty air from the attic.
