You may have noticed the items sitting on the roof, known as vents. They play a significant role in the functionality of the roof as well as the house by ensuring that the attics and upper-level crawl spaces have adequate ventilation. That’s not all; roof vents help protect your roof. So, when you are exploring roof ventilation types, which one should you go for? We will talk about it in this blog.
Types of Roof Ventilation
There are two main types of roof ventilation: active ventilation and passive ventilation. However, they are further divided into two types. The main difference between active and passive ventilation is that the former requires a fan to push the air through the attic, while the latter does not need a fan; it allows the air to naturally pass through the space.
Types of Active Vents
There are many types of active vents, including:
- Turbine Vents: Also known as whirly birds, they’re pretty popular. With turbine vents, the air in your attic will recirculate 10 to 12 times in an hour.
- Power Vents: You might have seen a power vent — it is located close to the ridge cap on the roof. Using electricity, power vents pull hot air out of your attic and disperse it into the air. Moreover, you can use them with a humidistat during winter to maintain optimal humidity levels.
- Solar-Powered Vents: Many homeowners switch to solar power, which is why solar-powered vents are available. They operate by powering on the energy provided by the sun. However, they will not run when the battery is charging. Plus, they can show some issues on cloudy days!
Types of Passive Vents
There are many types of passive ventilation systems available, too, such as:
- Ridge Vents Without Baffle: They are also a common choice, majorly because they will not stick to the roof. The contractor will cut these vents into a roof decking along the ridge of your roof. In addition, these ridge vents do not contain a baffle — this means that your attic could get invaded by birds and other elements.
- Static Vents: Have you ever seen a roof with small boxes? These are static vents, a type of passive vent that rely on convection in order to pull hot air out of the attic prior to pushing it out the vent. They’re the most common kind of passive vents and are also called box vents or turtle vents.
- Gable End Vents: What if you can have ventilation to your roof without actually having to install the vent on your roof? Gable vents are the answer! They are cut into the side of your house, just under the peak. Once the wind blows. The vents allow the air to flow through the vents and out from the side of your property. This type of vent helps make the attic more comfortable and expands the lifespan of your roof.
There are two main roof ventilation types, which are further divided into turbine vents, power vents, solar-powered vents and ridge vents, static vents, and gable vents.