Residential Roof Vents Part Two – Roof Vent Options for Your Home

In Part One of this series, we learned about the importance of roof vents to the overall roofing system of your home. Today we look at some of the many different types of vents that are available for your roof.

There is no one type of vent that is absolutely best in all circumstances. The one that will work best for your roof depends on the roof’s style and size.

1. Box Vents: Box vents are part of a group of vent types known as ‘static vents’, which means they have no moving parts. Static vents use the flow of outside air to circulate the air inside your roof. Box vents are generally of a low-profile square or rectangular shape and available in a variety of colours to match your roof shingles.

2. Wind Turbines: Sometimes called a ‘whirlybird’, turbine vents use the wind outside to turn a turbine in the vent. The turbine helps to move more air out of the roof versus a static vent.

3. Power Vents: If your roof regularly gets very hot or humid, you might need a power vent, which can circulate the air in the attic even when there is little wind or air movement. Most power vents get their power from your home’s electricity grid, but some newer models have solar panels that generate the power. Some power vents are also equipped with thermostats and/or humidistats and will turn on automatically when temperatures and/or humidity levels reach a certain level in your attic.

4. Ridge Vents: Ridge vents offer a combination of unobtrusive appearance and relatively high circulation capacity for a static vent. They get their name from the fact that they are installed along the apex ridge of your roof.

5. Soffit Vents: All of the vents listed so far, especially the wind turbine and power vents, generally take air out of your attic. Located along the soffit or eaves of your roof, soffit vents allow fresh air into your attic to replace the air removed by the vents located on your roof.

6. Gable Vents: While technically not part of the roof, gable vents help circulate air through your attic through louvered openings in the gables of your home.

Needless to say that most homeowners will not know which type of roof vent is best suited for their roof and ventilation requirements. Your roofing contractor will be able to advise you on your options and the benefits of each one.