At times, the architectural design of some roofs limits the inclusion of standard vents that facilitate a natural air flow thus only mechanical system will suffice. Most of these systems incorporate the use of fans that help in sucking the fresh air indoors for it to circulate in the house and then pushed out through the vents. The essential thing to remember when buying the vents is to enlist the help of ventilation installation specialist with ample knowledge and experience. Keep in mind that ventilation systems cannot do without routine maintenance and this is a factor that should influence your choice to avoid picking vents that require an installation and placement that makes it hard to do maintenance, unless you know how to repair a vent.

Available Options

When it comes to choice, different types of roof vents are available and are widely used to meet different needs in homes and offices.

• Soffit Vents

  Most ventilation specialists have praises for soffit vents which are commonly fitted on the roof soffits to act as air inlets and outlets thus aiding in the aeration of indoor spaces. They can be installed as a single continuous vent or separately, evenly spaced along the soffit. However, the installation should be done with caution. A baffle is necessary to prevent the soffit vents from directing the air into the insulation reducing its efficiency.

• Roof Ridge Vents

  The name gives away the application of these types of vents. They are installed at the roof ridges, the peak points of roofs. The vents are designed to help in the escape of hot air that accumulated in the house and rises to the ceiling seeking to escape through the top of the roof. Roof ridge vents can be installed in old roofs or added when doing roofing upgrades to allow the sheathing to cool therein increase the lifespan of the roofing materials.

• Pot Vents

  Pot ventilations require the creation of holes in the roof and then they are mounted over them and do not require any power to operate. The vents resemble an up-side-down pot and an ideal for roofs with ridges that are too small to fit roof ridge vents.

• Turbine Vents

  The vents are dome-shaped turbines; they are designed to utilize the force of winds to power their function. They catch the wind as it moves causing the turbines to spin and suck out hot air. However, their design has one flaw, they will not work is there is no wind. As such, turbine vents can offer little ventilation or none depending on the availability and force of the wind. Also, the structural design of most of the turbine vents will allow rain in and they can also be hampered by snow during winter.

• Power Ventilators

  The power vents run on electricity and are installed in the gable vents to suck out the hot air from the attic. The vents are not an ideal choice because they tend to generative a negative pressure inside the attic which adds to the indoor heat cause the hot air to find alternative escape routes, such as leaking through the ceiling. The trapped heat will condense when the temperatures drop creating moisture that leads to the cases of mold and mildew infestation in the attic. Power vents have also been associated with the presence of radon gas in some homes.

• Solar Powered Vents

  As the name suggests, these vents are powered by the sun. most of them have a design similar to that of the pot vents only that these have motors that are powered by the sun to turn fans that will regulate the movement of air in and out of the attic. Solar powered vent systems are an excellent choice for homes in areas that are sunny since they can be set to run to help cool the indoor spaces during the heat of the day.

The lack of proper ventilation can lead to a buildup of moisture, mold and mildew infestation, and structural problems due to the trapped heat inside the house. Similarly, the improper installation of roof vents can also result in the same issues. As such, consult with a ventilation installation specialist to know which vents to buy and let the experts install them in your home or office.