There are many different types of roof vents, each with its own unique benefits. One of the most popular types of roof vents is a ridge vent. Although these vent options are popular with roofing contractors, many homeowners don’t know what they are.
Ridge Vent
When you have a new roofing system installed on your home, or need to schedule roofing repairs, you want to make sure you are aware of all the roofing options available to you. When you know what kind of roofing features to order, you can be sure you’re adding the best possible features to your roof.
What is a Ridge Vent?
Whether you have a roof made of asphalt shingles, fancy slate, or wooden clapboards, it’s crucial that you have ventilation for your roof. Inside your house, the heat rises. That’s why your attic or overhead crawl space is always so hot. The roof vent allows heat to be released.
A ridge vent runs the full length of the ridge of your roof. One of the main benefits of these vents is the fact that they are not visible from the ground.
Types of Ridge Vents
There are two different types of ridge vents. The type of ridge vent you need depends on your attic ventilation system.
If your attic has an active ventilation system, you should choose a ridge vent with a baffle. Active ventilation means that your attic ventilation system relies on fans that circulate air. Baffled Ridge Vents are vents that have ramps that provide a path for airflow into your attic.
Passive ventilation systems rely on the natural movements of the wind to circulate air through your attic. These ventilation systems are often found in older houses. If this is the type of vent system you have, you can opt for a ridge vent that does not have baffles.
One of the biggest benefits of baffled ridge vents is the fact that they prevent rain, snow, and sleet from entering the attic or overhead crawl space. Ridge vents that do not have plastic vents (or baffles) also allow insects to enter.
Cost of Roofs?
The process of installing a ridge vent on your roof has a direct impact on the price. The materials required for the installation of a ridge vent are some of the most affordable materials in the roofing industry. Based on national averages, ridge venting itself costs between $2 and $3 per linear foot.
There is some prep work that contractors need to do, which adds to the price of ridge vent installation. In addition to removing any shingles or metal pieces covering the ridge of your roof, the contractor must also remove any subflooring that gets in the way. Once your contractor removes all of the ridges, he or she will cut a hole for the ridge vent that runs the length of your roof.
This process takes several hours and is the largest expense associated with installing ridge vents. A study of national averages indicates that roofing contractors charge between $45 and $75 per hour for the labor associated with installing ridge vents. Labor is around $300 to $400 for ridge vent installations.
Based on national averages, the total cost of installing ridge vents ranges from $300 to $650. The typical cost for a complete ridge vent installation is only $500.