Do I Need Attic Fan With Ridge Vent

Even if your roof already has ridge vents and plenty of ventilation built in it s a good idea to install gable fans or roof fans to help blow hot humid air out of the attic.

Do i need attic fan with ridge vent.

With any attic ventilation system the attic can be 20 degrees hotter than outside. When you are deciding between a ridge vent or an attic fan consider the needs of the attic. Attic ventilation fans also tend to be quite energy efficient in terms of their own operation. Fan rarely necessary vents that run along the roof ridge are an alternative to those that exit through the roof decking or gables and if the ridge is long enough they may be the only roof vents.

One static vent style is the turbine vent which uses wind to power its enclosed fan all it takes is a light breeze to rotate the blades and suck heat out of the attic view example on the home. After installing a ridge vent a homeowner might feel a temperature change says jerry alonzy a handyman working in canton connecticut. Roof ridge vents do work well when there are soffit vents or box vents that help to draw air into the attic. Although mold and mildew are not as much a threat in the winter months it is still a genuine threat that you want to avoid at all costs.

It could reverse the natural flow of hot air out the ridge vent. So that if the ridge vent and the soffit vent are set up correctly you actually don t need those gable vents. If you have suitable intake venting a ridge vent might be a better choice while larger attics and those with poor ventilation might be better served by an attic fan. Choosing a ridge vent or an attic fan.

The prevailing winds and the amount of shade your house gets will also affect your results. The ridge vents allow for this moisture to escape so that you do not have a build up of this humid air threatening to cause damage to your roofing members and anything stored in your attic. If you have a hip roof with very little ridge a power fan with both a thermostat and humidistat for both temperature and humidity should be installed with no ridge vent. They actually can tend to make that structure inefficient because it kind of messes with the attic ventilation.

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. Unlike ridge vents attic fans use electricity and need regular maintenance to keep working properly. That means you have a lower risk of mold or mildew development. A ridge vent installed in a very hot attic will have more effect than in a slightly cooler one.

Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because.