Strolling through the neighborhood must have given you an idea about the different types of roof ventilation, each of which is an equal and important aspect of a roof process because all roofs differ in nature and architectural design. They also possess customized requirements that must be fulfilled for the prolonged durability indispensable for the roof to last for decades.
Regardless of the differences between several versions of the roof and their ventilation process, all of them are installed to serve one common purpose: to allow your home to breathe in the best possible way.
Attic Space Categorization
As a homeowner, searching for prime quality yet cheap roof replacement process is natural. This selection must be accompanied by looking for exclusive attic ventilation, which is categorized as follows:
- Active Ventilation
It is a type of attic ventilation that utilizes mechanical fans for indoor air circulation. Its installation is important in places prone to water or moisture accumulation and vacant spaces capable of collecting excess heat, such as garages and attics.
Wherever chemicals, cars, or miscellaneous equipment are stored, active ventilation helps eliminate unwanted humid air build-up. As it is independent of natural winds, active ventilation ensures steady and constant air circulation. A typical example is solar-powered ventilation.
- Passive Ventilation
The phenomenon of passive ventilation entails its dependency on nature, such as thermal buoyancy and air currents for air circulation. Air vents are particularly installed to take control of the intake of air.
The cycle of welcoming fresh air inside and expelling stale air is much more inexpensive and requires less maintenance. The rise of hot air will cause it to circulate via a passive mechanism – which is useful in homes with a reasonable difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.
Types of Roof Ventilation
The exploration of several types of roof ventilation will always continue. After all, with the environmental changes and robust constructional development, upgrading, modernizing and regulating mechanisms for gaseous exchange is essential because all we need is air to breathe.
Depending on the attic ventilation types, the types of roof ventilation are also categorized because the roofs and attic of your house interlink to make the place as airy as possible.
- Ridge Ventilation
An efficient and famous method through which vents are installed along the entire length of the ridge of the roof is called ridge ventilation. The roof ridge vent causes the hot and humid air to rise and escape naturally.
Ridge ventilation comprises easy vents to upkeep and blends smoothly with the roofline, offering a distinctive and aesthetically affable solution. It is one of the best types of roof ventilation that operates well when combined with soffit vents, assuring the accessibility of a steady airflow from the eaves to the ridge.
- Turbine Ventilation
A wind turbine roof vent extracts hot air from the roof and attic space using wind power. A suction effect is created that pulls interior humid air and exhales it outside as the wind passes over the fins of the vents. They are also referred to as turbine vents or whirlybirds. That’s why their mechanical-free efforts for the usage in windy areas prove to be a remarkable option to regulate the attic temperatures significantly.
- Gable-End Ventilation
As the name suggests, a gable vent is located in the gable end of the roof. The intersection of two slopes of the roof makes triangular portions which are gable vents. The temperature and humidity levels are regulated when air circulates through one vent and passes through the other. They function best in conjunction with soffit and ridge vents.
- Power Vent Roof
A power vent roof’s balanced blade and motor design quickly emit hot and humid air from any attic. Its working is based on a typical thermostat that automatically turns the fan on when the temperature is desired to be lowered. Although, some models are also equipped with a humidistat that is best suitable to work in warm and dry climates because this serves to control the water or moisture content of the atmosphere.
- Soffit Vents
The installation of soffit vents in the underside of the overhangs or eaves of the roof provides an ample doorway for the fresh air from outside to enter the house, displacing the humidity towards the ridge vents or other installed exhaust outlets. They are available in various designs, ranging from individualized vents to continuous strips and significantly contribute to the roof ventilation system’s coherence.
- Roof Louvers
Roof louvers are also referred to as static vents and box vent roofs. The passive ventilation mechanism utilizes unpowered vents designed to allow hot and humid air to exhalate. Often strategically located along the roof surface for the facilitation of airflow, box vents come in various sizes and shapes. However, their efficacy is directly proportional to the number of roof louvers, their placement, and, most importantly, the design of your residential roofing.
Conclusion
A healthy and friendly atmosphere in your home is based on the different types of roof ventilation mechanisms. Selecting the one that matches the best and is in congruence with the overall construction of your house keeps plenty of structural problems away, including unnecessary accumulation of moisture causing premature deterioration of the roofing materials. The availability of diversified vents, such as ridge, gable, static, or power vents, calls for the need to consult Only roofing contractors so you can make informed decisions for optimized roofing ventilation along with considering certain factors, such as the climate of your locality, home and roof design, and most importantly, building codes and regulations.
