Ventilation is the process by which external air is supplied inside the house, while stale air is removed from the inside. Ventilation controls humidity, temperature, and air level inside the home.
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Roof Ridge Vents
Since we spent most of our time in our homes, the inside atmosphere of the home has a great impact on the health of the individual. Despite health effects, lack of proper ventilation also creates serious problems with the home like damaging the roof, rusting, and many more.
Most of the old homes did not have a ventilation system because they used to have adequate air movement and hence do not require a ventilation system. However, modern houses are air-insulated, which results in limited air movement, which creates various problems, including health issues, roof damage, etc. Nowadays, every house has a ventilation system.
You probably have noticed that the attics or roofs are ventilated. Roof vents are essential to every home, and proper attic ventilation is beneficial to the roof as well as the house owners.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Roof Ridge Vents
Roof ventilation allows air to circulate through the attic, hence making adequate air movement. Proper roof ventilation leads to a healthy living environment inside the house and also prevents other problems in the future.
A roof ridge vent is considered one of the best roof vents and is quite popular as well. It is the most innovative in comparison to traditional vent systems. Since it is installed on the ridge of the roof, so it is named the roof ridge vent. Let’s discuss some pros and cons of roof ridge ventilation:
Advantages of Roof Ridge Vents
A proper roof ventilation system creates constant airflow through the attic that helps reduce the amount of heat and moisture that could build up over time, which in turn protects the roof.
Here are some advantages of roof ridge vents.
1. Adequate Airflow
A proper ventilation system allows adequate air movement in your home. A ridge vent runs along the entire ridgeline of the roof, which provides ventilation in the most efficient way to your attic with adequate airflow.
Proper airflow in the house is essential for both houses as well as their residents. Extra airflow will cost you high on your energy bills, while less airflow will not provide proper ventilation.
2. Balance the Temperature Inside
Another benefit of roof ventilation is that it balances out the transfer of cold air and hot air. In summer, the attic is warmer because of the heat coming from the roof. Vents installed on the roof make warmer air escape the home easily, which automatically balances out the temperatures below.
The hot air usually goes high up to the rooftop where ventilation is installed, which effectively stales out hot air while bringing cooler air maintaining the temperature of the house. In winter, the design of vents allows cold from outside to enter the attic, hence preventing warmer air from leaving the room.
3. Keeps Rodent Away
The design of the roof ridge vent makes it impassable to rodents, unlike the traditional vent system. The rodents or sometimes birds make nests in the vents and block the airflow and sometimes damage the attic as well.
The small gaps in the vent make rodents unable to make it into the attic, keeping constant airflow and your attic rodent-free. With a roof ridge vent, you will get proper ventilation along with no headaches from rodents.
4. Better Aesthetics
Roof ridge vents have a sleek design that is hard to notice and goes with almost every roof design. The design makes it blends in with every color, leaving your roof looking sleek and aesthetically pleasing.
As the vent is installed on the entire length of the ridge of your roof, so you don’t need to allocate a special area to install it.
5. Low Maintenance Costs
Compared to other ventilation options, the ridge vent requires very little maintenance. Once installed, it requires minimum effect to maintain and look after, which automatically lowers maintenance costs.
There are fewer chances of rust, wear, and tear compared to motorized ventilation systems. This is one of the reasons why many people opt for ridge vents.
6. Healthier Home Environment
Usually, people spend more amount of time in their homes. Inadequate airflow can cause indoor air pollution, which is ranked as one of the most dangerous environmental factors in today’s world.
Indoor air pollution can lead to several health problems like headaches, allergies, asthma, sinusitis, etc. Since it is installed on the ridgeline of the roof, it provides an equal amount of airflow throughout the attic.
With the help of ridge vents, indoor air quality increases subsequently and creates a healthier living environment.
7. Economical
Ridge vents are usually enough for ventilation purposes in the home and do not require an extra ventilation system. The ridge vents provide continuous air circulation no matter the direction of the wind and also release moisture from the house.
If moisture is not properly removed from the house, it will create condensation, which leads to mold and rotten surfaces. The molds degrade the aesthetics of the house as well as cost pretty much to repair. Also, you will save greatly on energy bills as roof ridge vents don’t require any power to run.
Disadvantages of Roof Ridge Vents
1. Doesn’t fit well with all roof types
This type of ventilation works best if it gets enough flow of air towards it. It works well with the roof having a high gradient because it will get enough airflow. The top that does not receive proper airflow will not get enough ventilation.
Sometimes improper installation might lead to zero ventilation even with the proper flow of air. If your roof gradient is low, then there won’t be enough air movement. If your home has a flat roof, then it is better not to install a roof ridge vent as you won’t get much benefit from it.
2. Requires Experienced Manpower
Installation of ridge vents requires professionalism for proper installation. If the installation is done incorrectly, it gives rise to various issues and might damage the roof as well.
Even a tiny mistake in installation gives lots of issues. During rains, it will cause leakage if the gap is cut a bit larger than required. In case the gap is cut small, it will block the airflow.
3. Higher Upfront Cost
Though this type of ventilation requires less maintenance if properly installed, the initial cost is high. Because of this reason, this type of ventilation may not be suitable for some homeowners.
The installation charge is also high because it requires an expert to install it. As it is not the only ventilation system available, you can always choose other vent types that suit your budget.
Conclusion
Concluding the above pros and cons of roof ridge vents, roof ridge vents have many benefits in comparison to their few drawbacks. Roof ridge vents allow adequate air movement, have better aesthetics, prevent rodents, extend the life on your roof, and also make a healthier living environment inside the house. If you’re interested in having your roof properly ventilated, roof ridge vents might be a great option for you.