Gable Vent vs other vents

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

Now you can purchase your Onyx Xteriors gable vents from your nearest ABC Supply store.  So when you pick up your siding or roofing from ABC Supply, get your louvered vents also.

For larger aluminum gable vents, you can save on freight by having them shipped right to your ABC Supply and picking them up there. So, where can you get Onyx Xteriors gable vents?  Just about anywhere you want.

Or if you prefer, we can ship to you or your job site.  Just order online at shop.onyxxteriors.com  and within 2 weeks, your attic vents will arrive ready to install.

gable vent installs

How to order an aluminum gable vent

X Gable Vents

X Gable Vents

As they say “X” marks the spot.  But in this case, the X has arrows leading off all 4 legs or directions to represent infinity or more.  The aluminum products manufactured by Onyx Xteriors have no real limits to what products can be made. 

The X was chosen as the logo because of the double XX in Onyx Xteriors.  If you have found a gable vent or other aluminum product marked with just the X with arrowed points, then it is probably an Onyx Xteriors product. 

Upon arrival of your order, you will immediately notice the blue arrowed X stamped on the shipping box.  And 99% of our gable vents ship in a wood box marked with that same X. 

As there are fakes out there, a true Onyx Xteriors gable vent will have no face pop rivets showing.  The louver ends will be notched and wrapped around a rail in the side walls of the gable vent.  The shipping crate will sport the blue X marking the shipping of the gable vent.  The shipping label will have the name Onyx Xteriors X on it.  And the gable vent will be marked on the back with the arrowed X or the full logo Onyx Xteriors X.

With so many people pushing fake louvered gable vents, feel free to call 901.281.2887 if you question if your aluminum gable vent is a real Onyx Xteriors X gable vent.  We will check our records to verify your X gable vent came from our facility.  We may request a photo of the gable vent to help with verification.  Or to ensure a true Onyx Xteriors X gable vent will be received, just place your order here instead of through a third party.  Or use a trusted 3^rd party or distributor such as ABC Supply or another trusted supply house.  Distributors such as this will have constant contact with Onyx Xteriors about their X gable vents and not be subject to fake X gable vents.

The X is also easy to recognize and remember.  With a long name such as Onyx Xteriors and the spelling without the “E”, the X in X gable vents is much easier. 

Common questions:

I found a gable vent with just an X on the back.

Where did this aluminum gable vent with an X come from?

I am looking for a louvered gable vent from X.

A blue X with arrows on the legs.

Where can I find Onyx Xteriors X gable vents?

This gable vent has an X logo, where did it come from?

shop.onyxxteriors.com

Why do Contractors do this?

Why do contractors insist that products do not exist just because they have never seen them?

This happens every day, everywhere.  But the truth is that, today, there are companies producing almost every solution to every problem.  Just Google it.  It's there.

One item that irritates me to hear, "They don't make it," is Aluminum Half Round Window Trim.

After a customer pays a contractor 20 grand or more for new windows and the contractor says there is no way to wrap that one half round window like the other windows, it would make me wonder why he didn't tell me from the start.  Instead, contractors will tell you how beautiful your home will be up to the point everything is finished, except for that on window.  But, they still expect you to write the final check in full.  But the job is technically not finished until very window is wrapped alike.

If you refuse to pay, the contractor will scramble around and try to find a cheap alternative to shut you up.  Most common is a rubber brick mold that can be formed to the window.  He will then paint it the first time.  Then you have to crawl up a ladder and paint it every 2 years.  No, Thank You!  And it doesn't even look the same as the other windows.  It still looks unfinished.

Usually the customer finds the real solutions by simply Googling for an answer.  This usually makes the contractor feel like a fool.  But, if the contractor stayed up on new products and simpler products, he would not be in this situation.  Now, he has to wait another 2 weeks for the trim to come in.  And then, make another trip to install it.

Before hiring a contractor for your windows or siding replacement, ask them how up to date they are on new products and new installation methods and certifications.  This Aluminum Half Round Window Trim is just one example.  And, by the way, it is not a new product.  It has been around for over 20 years.

See more at onyxxteriors.com

Feel free to share this post to help raise awareness and customer confidence. 

And never be afraid to ask your contractor or even doubt his ability until he proves you wrong.  There are so few good contractors out there, it's hard to find a good one on the first try.

Pop Rivet Gun Disasters

How much of a hazard can a pop rivet gun be?

We all know any tool can be dangerous, but a pop rivet gun is real simple.  Drill your hole, place a pop rivet in and squeeze the handle.  Simple?  Well maybe not for some.

One of our female employees, (and she did give permission for this story, but out of respect, I will not name her) has a great safety track record for many years.  That is until last week.

She starts with pop riveting a gable vent together as she does every day.  The slats on the vent are lining great and she starts to pick up her speed.  After about ten vents, she is really doing great and pumping out the vents.  About half way through her last vent for the day, I hear a faint high pitch squeal like she may have pinched her finger.  I look over and see her biting her lip and holding her arms crossed with her hands tucked in behind her arms.  I asked what happened and she said she was just going to go home.  I asked to see her fingers to make sure she didn't need medical attention.  She showed me her fingers without a mark on them.  But, she was still doubled over and had a painful look on her face as she began the "laugh it off" face.  She finally stood up straight and said, "The pop rivet gun pinched my nipple."  To keep from laughing too much in front of her, I gave her the rest of the day off and laughed all the way to quitting time.  I have never seen or even heard of such.  And I was not qualified to see if that required a band aid.  

The next morning, she came back to work just fine and walked over to her station.  She looked down, gave the pop rivet gun an evil look and said it was not going to get her again.

Later that day, it struck back.  She had been smacking it around and cursing it for the pinching incident the day before.  This time she had just popped a rivet and the rivet end did not properly dislodge and fall out.  As she flipped the gun in her hand to load the next rivet, the pointy end stabbed her hand in the meaty portion between her first finger and thumb.  The pop rivet gun then took a flying lesson, which it failed miserably.  All her life, she has used these tools and many other, more dangerous tools and never had a scratch.  But this pop rivet gun, she swears is possessed.  

I did get her a new pop rivet gun.  So far, so good.

To see the gable vents like the ones she was making, visit shop.onyxxteriors.com