Ridge Vents

Ridge Vents for Attic Ventilation

Ridge cap vents are a very effective time tested way to ventilate your attic. Ridge cap vents are often covered by the roofing material used on the rest of the roof making them blend well into the look of your home while avoiding the need for roof vents to be spread along your roof. The ridge cap vent runs the entire length of the roof ridge which encourages even ventilation throughout the attic area.

When using a ridge cap vent if is necessary to have an equal or larger amount of ventilation from the soffit area of the roof. This allows for air to enter at the lower vents and travel up to the top of the roof as it heats and exit out of the ridge vent. An inadequate amount of soffit ventilation will act to retard the effectiveness of your ridge vent.

When searching for a ridge cap to install on you home be sure that you look for a model that has an external baffle which serves two specific functions. First, it helps protect against rain and dust entering your attic through the vent. Secondly, the baffle creates a low pressure over the vent as wind travels over which increases the amount of air ventilated from the attic.

Ridge cap vents can work well with most roof types or designs but are ideal for gable roofs where the ridge runs the entire length of the roof as opposed to hip roofs which will not.

See also: Roof Attic Ventilation - Roof Vents - Soffit Vents - Gable End Vents