Keeping your home’s interiors warm and comfortable is important during the winter months. This may also mean your energy bills will be much higher during the season, but that doesn’t have to be the case if your home has proper air circulation. This is only possible with adequate attic ventilation.
Types of Roofing Vents
A ventilation system usually consists of intake vents and exhaust vents. As hot air naturally rises, the vents at the lower edge of the roof are the intake vents, and those higher up at the peak are exhaust vents.
A professional can determine the proper placement of the intake and exhaust vents on your roof. Here are some of the most common types installed:
- Turbine vents – Roof replacement contractors typically place these higher up on a roof’s surface and use a wind-powered turbine to suck the hot air out of the roof.
- Soffit vents – These are usually the intake vents on the roof. They’re located on the soffit, which is the underside of the overhang of a roof.
- Gable vents – Named after roofing gables. They’re located at the sides of a home.
- Ridge vents – These are typically used as exhaust vents, and they run along the peak of the roof.
How Many Vents Do You Need?
Vents are rated by their net free area (NFA), which is the amount of space the vent has for air to flow in or out. As such, the number of vents needed on your roof should be split 50/50 between intake and exhaust. However, that can change if the slope of your roof is more than the average 6:12 slope (a rise of 6 feet for a run of 12 feet) as there will be more space, moisture, and heat to ventilate in your attic.
When determining the number of vents needed on your roof, keep in mind that at least one should be installed for every 300 square feet of attic area if your attic has a vapor barrier. If you don’t have a vapor barrier, it should be one for every 150 square feet of attic area.
When you’re looking to hire the best roofer in the Columbus area, you can be sure that we’ll complete your project according to your needs and preferences. Talk to Bradford Xteriors today by calling (614) 714-1832! You can also contact us online through our convenient online form.