Adding roof ridge vents can reduce summer air conditioning costs prevent roof mildew and rot and keep your roof in better shape longer.
Ridge vent vs solar fan.
If air is drawn in through the ridge vent while it s raining it might pull rainwater in with it which could lead to leaking or mold in the attic.
As warm air rises in your attic fresh air is drawn in through soffit vents.
But they re much easier to install since no wiring is needed.
Ridge vents are an ideal solution to ventilation in an ideal attic.
In addition to soffit gable and or ridge vents you may want to add a power vent fan to your attic to increase air circulation.
When you are deciding between a ridge vent or an attic fan consider the needs of the attic.
Without any air movement temperatures in the attic soar in summer and plunge in winter.
Choosing a ridge vent or an attic fan.
You will probably need two solar attic fans to get the results you want.
A ridge vent or a solar attic fan.
What makes ridge vents so effective is how they run the length of your roof.
Attic fans can also make a lot of noise.
Unlike ridge vents attic fans use electricity and need regular maintenance to keep working properly.
The fan blades spin but they don t lower the attic temperature at all.
Roof box vents and continuous ridge vents are separated by a few differences and deciding which one to put on your roof depends on which better fits the type and situational roof you have.
Because solar attic fans operate with a lower power output they are unable to move as much air as some of the other options that are available.
Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because.
An attic fan is an active system that actually forces air out.
Since your solar vent fan only moves 500 cfm a third to half that of a typical hardwired attic vent fan it probably won t move enough air to reverse the action of the ridge vent.
Ridge vent vs solar attic fan.
This is a solar panel supplying free electricity to the attic fan under the silver dome on the rear roof.
In this back by popular demand article see the difference between roof box vents and continuous ridge vents.
Without ventilation unfinished attic spaces can end up having stagnant air.
Solar powered attic vent fans usually don t move as many cubic feet of air per minute cfm as hardwired fans.
That means you will need to double up your investment in this area.
Purchasing an electric or solar attic fan may not provide the savings that homeowners expect.
Which is better for your roof.
That depends on your roof.