A Short Overview of the Types of Roof Vents for Attic Ventilation

Most residential houses have roof vents built for proper attic ventilation. Roof vents come in various shapes and sizes, but their main function is to allow the circulation of fresh air, especially when installed properly by a reliable roofing contractor. 

Depending on your preference, you can choose the roof vent you want and get an effective attic ventilation system for an affordable price. We help you find the best and most commonly used types of roof vents. Let’s see how these vents work and look at the attic ventilation process to give you a better idea.

What Is a Roof Vent?

We build, design, and decorate our houses with the utmost care. It’s only fair that we take the necessary measures to ensure that our house stays in good shape. Attic ventilation is essential if you want to let your house breathe. This ventilation process occurs by removing stale air from your attic and bringing in fresh air using the vents. 

Wondering, “what are the vents on my roof?” A ventilation system requires intake vents and exhaust vents working together. Intake vents are mostly located at the bottom of your attic or roof, letting the outside fresh air inside the attic. On the other hand, the roof exhaust vents are located at the top of the roof and expel the stale air out of the attic.

Now, if you’re wondering how roof vents work, then you must know that there are two ventilation systems: active and passive. Both of these systems are effective in doing their job, and each system involves different types of roof vents. 

Let’s take a look at various types of attic vents such as active roof vents and passive exhaust vents. 

Different Types of Active Roof Vents

The most popular choice when it comes to the different  types of roof vents for houses are active roof vents. These vents have a system that allows them to create a pulling effect that draws in fresh air into the attic, using the intake vents to suck out the stale air through the exhaust vents. So, if you’re thinking about what roof vents do, you need to look at these four types of active vents.

Turbine Vents

Turbine vents, commonly referred to as whirlybirds, function by pulling out the air through roof exhaust vents using heat rising and flowing the air around your attic, even when there is no wind available. When a turbine vent is installed, the fresh air will cycle around your attic multiple times a day. These roofing vents are designed in such a way that no external elements can enter your attic using these vents. 

Power Vents

These active roofing vents are circular and have a low profile on all the roofs where they are installed. Power vents are placed at the top of the roof and work by using electricity to draw out the hot air from your attic. 

However, during winter, you will have to use a dehumidifier with your power vent because your vent system might get damaged due to moisture. These vents are run by motors and they might fail at some point, so you will need replacements. 

Solar Powered Vents

As the name suggests, solar-powered vents are just like power vents, but they run using solar power instead of electricity. If you’re looking for environmentally friendly and energy conservation vents, these might be a great option. However, these types of roofing vents are turned off when the battery is charging.

The main problem users face is that the solar panel can’t keep the battery sufficiently charged so that the vent keeps running all day. This means that when the solar-powered battery is recharging, your air conditioner will work harder, resulting in an increased electricity bill. 

Ridge Vents

Ridge roofing vents are typically cut into the roof of the house and placed along the total length of the ridge. These active roof vents are popular because they are completely hidden.

The biggest disadvantage of these vents is that they don’t come with a filter, so foreign elements like debris or insects can enter the attic. To turn a passive ridge vent into an active ridge vent, install a baffle - a chute that provides air circulation.

Hopefully, you now understand what active vents are and you have an answer to “why are attics vented?” And you can get yours vented too.

Different Types of Passive Roof Exhaust Vent

Passive roof exhaust vents work by using natural resources such as wind or heat to circulate the fresh air in your attic. So, if you’ve been looking for a noise-free ventilation system and a solution to do attics need to be vented, then this is the best choice for you. These roofing vents don’t have any moving mechanical parts and don’t create any noise whatsoever. Here are the commonly used types of passive vents:

Static Vent

Have you ever seen small boxes on top of roofs? These are static vents that work by letting the heat go out of the attic by using the convection process. When there is more heat in your attic, all the hot air is expelled out of the roof through static vents.

Gable End Vents

Another type of passive ventilation is a gable end vent. It is a wooden vent placed on the wall of the attic under the area where your attic meets your roof slopes. The working principle relies on the wind - the wind enters the opening and cool air goes into the attic through one end gable end vent and hot stale air leaves through the other end.  

Steady Airflow and Attic Ventilation for Your House

All houses have distinctive features, so you need a professional who installs roof vents. An experienced and reliable roofing expert can create a steady airflow in your house using the best ventilation system. You won’t have to face any problems caused by mold or mildew because your house will always have fresh air circulating in each corner.

For more information on all things roofing, just get in touch with Otis Roofing to figure out the best solution for any ventilation problems you might be facing. Based on your house structure and climate, we can provide the best options for you.

Contact us today for all your roof vent needs and wants.