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Ridge vent - MstrCarpenter - 03-05-2019

Hi all! I'm getting a few quotes for reroofing our Church and I brought up a question on venting. Shingle manufactures want there to be soffit vents and ridge vents (exact amount of "free air" varies). Rather than replacing the painted over round push in soffit vents, we'll be going with Hicks vent, which is a venting drip edge. However; the structure is an old post and beam frame, and the roof sheathing boards are basically touching the top corners of the ridge beam making a traditional shingle over ridge vent useless. Does anyone know of a product that will address this problem? There are some surface mount roof vents there now, but they're way too low on the roof. And they look ugly too! I don't know if a Shingle Vent, or Edge Vent can be installed in the field about a foot down from the ridge.


RE: Ridge vent - Snipe Hunter - 03-06-2019

You say the sheathing is boards? So Planks? Why couldn't the planks on the ridge just be cut between the rafters to allow for a ridge vent, No different than cutting a ridge vent into plywood sheathing. Then replace the "pop in" round soffit vents with either larger rectangle vents or replace the soffit with a vented aluminum or vinyl soffit. Maybe I'm missing something. The more venting, the better.


RE: Ridge vent - brianwelch - 03-06-2019

(03-05-2019, 09:33 PM)MstrCarpenter Wrote: Hi all! I'm getting a few quotes for reroofing our Church and I brought up a question on venting. Shingle manufactures want there to be soffit vents and ridge vents (exact amount of "free air" varies). Rather than replacing the painted over round push in soffit vents, we'll be going with Hicks vent, which is a venting drip edge. However; the structure is an old post and beam frame, and the roof sheathing boards are basically touching the top corners of the ridge beam making a traditional shingle over ridge vent useless. Does anyone know of a product that will address this problem? There are some surface mount roof vents there now, but they're way too low on the roof. And they look ugly too! I don't know if a Shingle Vent, or Edge Vent can be installed in the field about a foot down from the ridge.

We recently had our 10/12 roof replaced. The layout (cruciform roof plan with 4 gables) is such that we have very little roof edge and opportunity for soffit vents. One roofer recommended a vent that actually installs under the shingles, parallel to the roof edge. A slot is cut in the sheathing further up from the roof edge to allow air to flow in and ventilate the attic out the ridge vent. I don't recall the brand, but as we have 4 gable vents to supplement the traditional soffit style, we opted to not to go that route...
I don't know why shifting this vent up near the ridge wouldn't work, other than it possibly being designed more for letting air in than allowing air out...

Just found this (by Certainteed)...upon further review, def seems better for letting air in...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdaGiRnog8


RE: Ridge vent - CLETUS - 03-06-2019

(03-05-2019, 09:33 PM)MstrCarpenter Wrote:  the roof sheathing boards are basically touching the top corners of the ridge beam 


A circular saw will solve that problem.


RE: Ridge vent - daddo - 03-06-2019

I've been in a lot of attics and I can comment on the best methods I've experienced though most people wouldn't go for it because their concerned about looks.
I did a job for an engineer who designed his own ventilation of the open attic and cost effective.
The soffets vents are anemic when it comes to airflow when they use those tiny holed covers. It doesn't take long for them to become dirty and reduce the airflow and most of the square inches they have are reduced by as much as 75%. This man used 1/4" mesh and installed an oversized stamped face grill on every space. (Type used in hvac returns). He then installed turbine type vents on the upper part of the roof every 7 feet (On the back side). He already had Gable vents. I could actually feel the air moving in the attic and he had no mildew problems like his neighbors had on the air handler.
He also used a grey roof instead of the black or brown roof. His attic was so much cooler than the others, I could stay up there and work fine just about any time of day.
I've been in plenty of attics with that ridge vent and they are so hot and unbearable, I conclude they are a waste of money on their own.


RE: Ridge vent - tomsteve - 03-06-2019

which shingle manufacturer is this? maybe things have changed in 14 years but when i did roofing the shingle manufacturers gave a few different ways of venting they wanted used but not one specific one.


RE: Ridge vent - MstrCarpenter - 03-06-2019

The ridge is about 8" wide. So a typical ridge vent won't work without removing the boards near the peak, cutting out the top corners oF the bridge between the rafters, and then replacing the board's with an inch or so cut off the top.


RE: Ridge vent - MstrCarpenter - 03-06-2019

I mentioned that the existing vents are ugly. This is a historic New England Church. I don't think that ventilation was a major concern when the roof had cedar shingles.


RE: Ridge vent - EatenByLimestone - 03-09-2019

The venting drip edges can give lots of wildlife issues as they usually aren't installed tight. This let's in all sorts of things you don't want in an attic like bats and flying squirrels.


RE: Ridge vent - daddo - 03-09-2019

(03-09-2019, 07:44 AM)EatenByLimestone Wrote: The venting drip edges can give lots of wildlife issues as they usually aren't installed tight.   This let's in all sorts of things you don't want in an attic like bats and flying squirrels.

 And snakes. I once saw snake skins up to four feet long all over in an attic and I had to stick my hands underneath ducts to search and seal leaks- creepy.
Crazy