Roof ventilation is an important part of an HVAC system. The vents help warm air, which naturally rises, move out of your upper levels and outside. A lack of ventilation can make your attic stuffy and cause moisture-related damage due to the humidity.
There are two main categories of roof vent: static and moving. Static vents don't have any moving parts and use your home's natural convection, or the rising hot air, to perform the venting. There are a few types of roof vent that each have their own pros and cons you can discuss with your HVAC contractor.
Box or Off-Ridge Vents
A box vent is small and square shaped and can be easily blended in with your roofing material so that the vent isn't noticeable from the curb. The subtle appearance and low cost are the main advantages to a box vent.
Unfortunately, the small size also means that a box vent isn't terribly efficient at removing heat from a large attic or upper living area. Depending on the size of your home, you might need a few box vents installed strategically around your roof for maximum ventilation.
Off-ridge vents are slender rectangular versions of box vents. The pros and cons are similar to box vents in both the subtle appearance and the lower efficiency. Off-ridge vents can be used in narrower areas than box vents, which can provide an advantage depending on the shape of your roof.
Your HVAC contractor might want to combine box and off-ridge vents to provide the best ventilation possible for your roof.
Wind Turbines
Wind turbines are a step between a traditional static vent and a motorized vent. The turbine has moving parts but those parts only move when the wind blows. Spinning mechanisms then increase convection and pull the hot air out of your attic.
Wind turbines are great in a home that has frequent wind passing over, such as a home in an open field. But if you don't have any wind, you don't have any ventilation, and a box vent would actually be more efficient.
The wind turbine also doesn't have a subtle appearance as the structure has to stick up to catch the wind, resulting in what looks like a mechanical mushroom sprouting from the roof of your home.
Ridge Vents
Ridge vents run the entire length of the peak or ridge of your roof. The placement allows for evenly distributed ventilation for the rising warm air. Your HVAC installer can match the vent to your roofing to make the system blend in better.
Ridge vents are one of the most efficient systems available. The initial cost can be more than a box vent, but the efficiency might make the money a worthy trade-off. If you are concerned about the visual appearance of a ridge vent, ask your installer for pictures as an example of how the vent can blend in with your roofing.
For more information, contact SDA Armstrong Mechanical Services Ltd or a similar company.
Share13 November 2015
My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.