Being a contractor over 20 years, I saw so many homes abused
by their owners and they all had one common issue the owner was probably
oblivious to. The attic
ventilation.
When I started in remodeling, it was drummed into our heads
to make sure a home had cornice vents to intake cooler air into the attic and
gable vents to allow the hot air to escape.
The gable vents needed to be as high as possible on the gable wall to be
the most efficient. Attic insulation was
placed into the ceiling below to create a heat and cold barrier for the living
space below.
Now, there are so many other products in play for the top
slot of the best ventilation. Turbines
or whirley birds are produced by GAF, Air Vent and many more. The issue I have found with these are they
only vent 19 square inches each. If you
calculate the average attic space to ventilation, the roof would be covered
with roof turbines to allow enough hot hair to escape and be effective. Flat vents or pan roof vents seem to have a
bigger issue as they actually trap the hot air before releasing it if there is
no airflow in the space.
Some people add power attic fans to force the hot air
out. This is a sound idea with the fan
being turned on and off by the temperature of the attic. Dayton produces many different sizes and
styles that will properly cool your attic.
The only issue with this is usually the installation. If the install is too close to the exterior
of the home, excess moisture builds and causes damage to the units. Then the issue of over heating and causing an
attic fire usually due to improper wiring.
In a lot of cases, the product you choose from any
manufacturer failing is not the fault of the manufacturer, but the installer
with a lack of knowledge of proper installation.
Most of the new homes being built have their cornice vents
eliminated. Now there is no cool air
intake for the attic to push the hot air out.
Tamko offers a vinyl ridge vent.
This product usually activates on it’s own at about 120 degrees to allow
the hot air to escape. I have rarely
been in an attic with ridge vent that was over 130 degrees. First, the installer will cut a strip off the
roof peak to create a vent hole. Being
applied at the peak of the roof it is in direct contact with the hottest
air. To protect the vinyl ridge vent
from the damage of the sun, it is covered with shingles. Issues I have found with ridge vent is the
slight rippling of the vinyl over heating and powder snow drift getting into
the attic by drifting through the small vents.
Some installers like to sell a mesh to put under the vent to prevent
snow entering. This quickly fills with
dust and no longer allows the attic to breath.
No matter the attic vent you choose, you should enter your
attic each year to check that vents are clear of packing boxes, dust and even
blown insulation that may have drifted onto them.
Proper ventilation ensures many extra years on your roof and
keeps your homes walls from sweating and damaging the home’s structure.
After all I have seen, I see the best attic ventilation for
me is to go old style. I like the
cornice vents found at any hardware store like Lowe’s and Home Depot. They are cheap and can be placed every 3 foot
around the home under the overhang.
My preferred gable vent is not wood since it rots. I am not fond of galvanized as they
rust. I do not like maintaining products
by painting them. So, vinyl vents? Heat tends to warp and cause the louvers to
droop cutting off the ventilation.
Aluminum seems to be the current best vent material. But then you have to choose a manufacturer
that makes a quality vent. Some
manufacturers use wood in their vent frames.
Some even use rusty staples to hold their vents together. My choice is Onyx Xteriors gable vents. They use all aluminum frames and pop
rivets. I even like the extra stiffness
of the rail system they use. And I do
not have to paint them to match. And
Onyx Xteriors will make the vents the size I need. I hate having to cut a larger hole or trying
to trim it out when the vent is too small.
To check the airflow in your attic, you can place a
thermometer in your attic and check it at the hottest time of day. If the temp is over 130, you may need a pro to
come check your attic and vents. You can
also check your attic insulation if your second floor rooms are getting too
hot. Overheating of second floor rooms
causes walls to sweat and shift. In some
cases, even buckle or waver. I like the
pre bagged Pink Panther insulation as it is easy to install and self contained.
Needless to say, with all these years of watching happy and
sad homes, and all this technology to upgrade an attic, I still lean to the old
way of gable end vents and cornice vents for a natural, no maintenance attic
vent.
The newest thing I have seen on the market is the roof edge
vent. It applies where the drip edge
would go under the edge of the shingles.
It can be applied anywhere on the roof.
Problem, how often do you clean your gutters of pine straw and
leaves?
If you see a new product on the market for venting, please
let me know.
ref:
shop.onyxxteriors.com
#onyxvents
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