The role of vents in the home cannot be underrated. Though it is quite challenging to know the number of vents you are supposed to use in your home.
Your choice depends on the square footage of your roof attic. To ensure a long-lasting roofing system and maintain attic quality, reliable and quality vents must be installed. In some states, housing rules request that you install vents on your house ridge to enhance ventilation.
The main reason for installing vents in your home is to improve the circulation of air. So, vents must be installed in a strategic position by a qualified roofing contractor.
How Many Vents Should Be Installed in A Home?
Here is a general rule that most roofers follow to check the number of vents needed in a home. If your roof attic is without a vapor barrier, then you will need to install a vent at every 300 square feet of that attic area.
In addition, depending on the Net Free Area (NFA), you can easily discover the number of vents to use. Note that the number of intake vents should be equalized with the number of exhaust vents. Also, a steeper roof may need more vents so as to create a chance for moisture and heat inside the attic.
Benefits of Roofing Ventilation
Aside from enhancing air circulation in the home, vents have some other benefits to consider. Listed below are some benefits of roofing vents:
- Vents regulate the temperature in the roof attic. This helps to control and minimize the consumption of electricity on cooling and heating the home
- They get rid of too much moisture in the attic that could lead to the growth of mold and fungal organisms. Note that mold growth in the attic leads to damaging of other roofing structures and cause you extra money to repair
- Vents prevent ice dams from forming in the attic during the winter season. This case is controlled by the proper circulation of air
Vents are basically used for the intake and exhausting of air in the attic and the home. Depending on these two major functions, there are several types of vents available in the market. Vents that are installed at the lower edge of the roof are the intake vents. While those installed at the extreme of the roof are the exhaust vents.
These are some quality kinds of roofing vents you could go for:
- Ridge vents: Ridge vents are typical exhaust vents. They are installed at the top of the roof. Also, they regulate temperatures in the attic.
- Soffit vents: Soffit vents are installed at the underside of the overhanging roof. It mainly assists in the intake of fresh air into the attic.
- Turbine vents: These are strong wind-powered vents usually installed on the rooftop for regulating temperatures in the attic.
- Gable vents: Gable vents are specially made for gable roofs. They are installed along the gables of the house.