How to install ridge vent

If you remove the ridge cap shingles from your roof carefully, you should be able to reinstall them over a shingle-over vent. You may have to paint a metal ridge vent to match the roof. If so, prime it first and paint it with a high-quality metal enamel.

The truth is, most experts agree that though other roof vents allow some ventilation (which is better than none), ridge vents are the most efficient and cost-effective roof ventilation system around. Our recommendation is yes. Especially if you are installing a new roof, you want to extend its life as long as possible.

If you are installing ridge vent panels, leave a 1/8 inch gap in between to allow for expansion.

Roof & Ridge Vent Costs

Installing a roof vent costs between $300 and $650 on average, including labor and materials. Exact rates depend on the type, size, and number of units you choose to install. Ridge vents cost $2 to $3 per linear foot. Roof vents come in a variety of styles and range from $10 to $500 each.

With proper installation and care, ridge vents should not leak. However, improper installation leads to leaky vents. When a shoddy or inexperienced contractor fails to overlap the pieces or doesn’t extend the sections enough, the vents will eventually leak.

Roof Ridge Vents

Continuous ridge vents are more effective because they are installed at the peak of a roof’s ridge, allowing for warm air to escape from the attic. There are many good ridge vents on the market, and the continuous vent, as opposed to the individual roof vent, is the most effective.

Dangers of Too Much Ventilation

The two main dangers associated with too much ventilation involve roof damage and increased utility bills. If you have too much air circulating, your roof will collect moisture causing damages that will weaken spots and then cause leaking.

To summarize: Seal air leaks in your attic floor so that roof venting doesn’t suck conditioned air into the attic and cause moisture problems. Adding a ridge vent is a fine idea, and don’t worry about it competing with the gable vents. If the gable vents aren’t letting in rain or snow, leave them alone.

Let me spare you the headache, if you don’t have soffits, don’t install a ridge vent. A ridge vents works by drawing air upward and out of the attic space. But if you have no intake, where is the ridge vent going to draw the air from?

Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because: It could reverse the natural flow of hot air out the ridge vent. If air is drawn in through the ridge vent while it’s raining, it might pull rainwater in with it, which could lead to leaking or mold in the attic.

Replacing a ridge vent is not a project done on a regular basis. It can, however, be done without much difficulty. With a proper guide, one can replace a ridge vent easily.

If you have a home with a ridge vent the type of vent that runs along the peak of the roof, you don’t even have to measure. A 40ft long ridge vent is equivalent to 20 sq. feet of gable vent more than enough venting for even the largest whole house fans. You could install a ridge vent along the peak of the roof.