Roof Ridge Vent Without Soffit Vents

We see many older homes with no attic ventilation and some that have recently had ridge vents installed.

Roof ridge vent without soffit vents.

While this provides an outlet for air flow it does not provide an inlet to complete the convection cycle needed for proper ventilation. Then simply roof over the slots. The effect of ridge vents for the roof depends upon the energy efficient nature of the structure. List of the cons of roof ridge vents.

During the reroofing have the roofers cut through the sheathing to provide the slots necessary for a ridge vent. If when you finally get around to venting the attic properly with ridge and soffit vents the ridge shingles can be removed and a ridge vent installed instead. As simple as that sounds there is a specific formula for which exists numerous calculators available online air vent s website gaf etc. A ridge vent without a soffit vent doesn t work and here s why.

You ll be able to move air throughout the attic without the use of fans or turbines when enough space is given to this vent design. Remember your main goal is to get air moving through the attic by entering the attic space down low near the overhang eave level and leaving the attic near the peak of the roof. Rose a research architect at the building research council at the university of illinois replies. Ridge vents are the best steep slope roof top ventilation system in use today but are invalid without proper amount of soffit vent and layout.

Ridge vents do not always provide the proper ventilation in some homes. The up draft of air from the building convection current of rising warm air which moves up through most buildings will be increased and will mean unnecessary heat loss if you have a ridge vent to vent air out without also providing good intake venting at the soffits or eaves. As the wind blows across the roof of your house it sort of swoops up at the ridge and the ridge depressurizes and the air that s in the attic sort of gets sucked out at the ridge. Soffit vents when paired with ridge vents provide complete ventilation for your whole roof surface.

See here s how ridge and soffit vents work together. By virtue of their design and location on the roof ridge vents are predominantly exhaust devices.