Homeowner Options for Roof Vents

If you have a house, then it is important for you to have adequate ventilation for your attic.  Proper attic ventilation will provide you with many benefits like lower energy costs and longer-lasting roof shingles.

There are various types of vents you can install on your roof.  Some are easy enough for the average homeowner to do himself.  Here are some of the different types of vents that you can install on your roof.

One of the most common types is the gable vent.  It provides passive ventilation inside your attic.  These vents allow warm air to escape from the attic.  Since the air will not be as warm, it will not take as much energy to cool your home during the spring and summer months. 

Gable vents have to be installed at the uppermost section of your attic in order to be most efficient.  One problem with this type of vent is it does not allow air to move constantly throughout the attic, so it does not provide uniform ventilation to the entire area.

Another option for roof vents is the soffit variety.  These vents are designed to encourage cooler air to enter the attic.  They are located under the roof line along the soffit.  They are quite easy to install, so you should be able to do it yourself if you are handy around the house.

You can also install ridge vents to provide passive ventilation inside your attic.  Like gable vents, they allow warm air to escape the attic which helps lower your energy costs during warmer weather.  They need to be installed at the peak of the roof for maximum efficiency.  They are easy to install like soffits, so you should be able to do it yourself.

Roof vents are not your only option for providing ventilation inside your attic.  You can also have an attic fan installed.  This is an active form of ventilation since the fan blows air out of the attic at a steady rate. 

Many fans are powered by electricity, so you will consume energy while they are operating.  However, there are also attic fans that are solar-powered.  These fans have to be designed to shut off automatically in case the house catches on fire since more ventilation will encourage the spread of the fire.

These are some of your options for roof vents.  You will want to have them installed so you can help save money on your energy bill.  Vents provide passive ventilation, but you can achieve active ventilation by utilizing a fan to blow air out of your attic space.