The shop has soffit/ridge vents. When they took the shingles off, they did not save the ridge vent. I looked at Lowes tonight. Their options are a plasticy mesh material that you put the cap shingles over. This is the cheapest but I can see how in a driving rain/high wind it could let water in. Next is a preformed aluminum vent that gets nailed on and there is no shingling over the top. It is a little under 2x the price of the cheapest. It is shaped to not allow water back under the vent. The disadvantage is appearance - it won't match the rest of the roof but I am not sure I care all that much. It comes in black or brown. I have grey shingles. Advantage is simple installation, just nail it down and you are done. The most expensive is another metal one that does get shingled over but it is almost 2x the price of the middle one. I am inclined to go with the middle priced one. Are there signifigant performance disadvantages to not doing so?
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David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment. -
My parents have the 1st one you mentioned, and as far as I know they don't get rain in the attic, but I don't know for sure. They have a real low pitch on their roof, so I don't know if that helps or not.Awww forget trying to fix it!!!! Lets just drink beer
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buy spray paint to match the shingles.Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas EdisonComment
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I have the 1st type on my house & that's what I install on houses where the owner wants ridge vent. Never had a problem with them yet. Make sure the ones you are looking at have the filter in them. It keeps the rain & bugs out.
All that you mentioned are good though.
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I use can vents, I do not like ridge vents at all.Comment
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When we had our house built in 1997, I requested the ridge vent and at the time they used the preformed aluminum. Never noticed any leaks, and I spent considerable amount of time in the attic several years ago installing and positioning a TV antenna. On a two story house the ridge vent didn't look bad at all. Looked almost like a shadow detail on a drawing.
Our roof was just replaced 3 weeks ago (storm damage) and the roofer used the plasticy mesh material that you put the cap shingles over (probably because it was less expensive. Each little section has a drain hole in it to prevent water build up.
RussComment
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JMHO but my boys and I just re roofed my place. no ridge vents for me. had more than one roofer tell me the wind/rain combo can lead to leaks. I have done three now and w/out the ridge vents.................no leaks, nuff said for me.Comment
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I didn't think I had a choice on the vents. The roof is rafters/rafter ties. When I took the shop down there was drywall on the bottom of the joists and rafter ties. Since I will insulate the ceiling and eventually finish it I think I have to use ridge vents. I suppose I could do gable vents above the rafter ties but since the building was originally designed with ridge vents that is what I want to stay with.Last edited by crokett; 05-17-2009, 04:32 PM.David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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You need soffit & gable vents or soffit & can vents or soffit & turbine vents or soffit & ridge vents.
Having soffit, gable and some kind a roof vent is pointless unless you have a very oddly configured attic space.
If you only have a gable/can/turbine or ridge vent any air leaving the attic will try to pull the air from your house. This is bad during heat/air conditioning season.
If you only have soffit vents, there is no way for the hot air to vent from the attic and the soffit vents are useless.Comment
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The first part is what I understood. Either gable or ridge vents, but not both. Actually my house has both now that I think about it. I recall the last time I was in the attic at the peak seeing the plastic mesh stuff where the sheathing is gapped and at the time wondering what it was. After seeing that stuff in Lowes, I now believe I have both ridge and gable vents. Is the attic not getting properly vented? Should I close off one or the other?David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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Air should have a point to enter and a point to escape. Having multiple points to escape is pointless and some will argue it disrupts air flow. I dislike the newer ridge vents since that mesh junk can get packed full of dust/etc over time and not work properly. I wouldn't go through the hassle to change it, just something to think about next time you do the roof.Comment
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