# Ridge vent



## Bridgewater (Aug 18, 2006)

I get asked often from home owners about gable venting and ridge venting for there roof. 
I hear so many conflicting stories that I just tell them this; Ridge vent only works right if you have soffit vent, and only then if there is no insulation blocking air flow or you have baffles between the insulation and roof boards to the soffit. And thats when you Do not want gable vents to interfere the up draft.
NOW THIS IS THE THING. I got a old bungalow with no way to vent up from soffit to ridge without it being a job in its self cause of the finished upper floor. Im gona be doing the siding here, And the roofers will be befor me. 

Wrong or right? I said lets keep the gable vents and go with ridge vent also. 
When  I remove out the old aulminum soffit, the best I can do is slip in a baffle, but that wont do much but for only a 1/3 of the roof, and then you have to have low set 750's to vent and look bad on a new roof.
I dont eaven want this siding job, cause there gona be out there in there lawn chairs watching our every move and askin why does that look like that! And you just wana say< Get outa my face I aint done YET.
.


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## glennjanie (Aug 18, 2006)

Hey Bob:
Are you sure the second floor blocks the air movement; it normally would not. I advocate the ridge vent with the soffit vents. I have seen a new vinyl soffit that has the vent holes in the groove rather than on the flat surface. I don't know who makes it but I think it is Mastic. Soffit vents and ridge vent give a full flow of air under the whole roof which makes the shingles last a lot longer.
Glenn


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## Square Eye (Aug 18, 2006)

Hey Bob!

I think I'm with you on this. 
If you  are positive that the upstairs walls/rafters are blocked by insulation, of by fire blocks, you feel that you have to vent the separate areas...
Considering you're in Michigan, I'd do just about anything to keep the vent off of the roof, a ridge vent seems ok, but a box vent would be trouble with all of the snow and ice you guys get. We have to do a lot of things that the customers don't really like the looks of. Like one crawl space vent for every 150 square foot of floor space.

Maybe you should sit down with them and explain what the gable/roof is going to look like before you start and maybe they'll understand and appreciate the efforts you make to help their home last longer.


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## Bridgewater (Aug 18, 2006)

Hay Square Eye 
this one aint no joke buddy LMAO This one will cost her more than the roof it self. and she already got locked in and wants more than the cost of labor can aford. Mind you I have a boss and he is done with her and put it on me.
Im almost done.I dont even want it and will just leave it at that and build a deck thats on the board.


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## Bridgewater (Aug 19, 2006)

glennjanie; I think I have used of the product your referring to. I think Wolverine siding products makes it. 
They call it ,Hide A Vent, and it's made to resemble that old beaded 2 1/2" wood soffit you see on them old bungalow porches. 
Very good stuff it is. They have the vent slits in the beads and you cant even see them!!!
 They install like that old aluminun soffit, no locks, just slip into the nail fold of your last peace. 
But on wide and long runs, make sure you get a true start, cause there aint alot of tweeking you can do with these.


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## rerod (Aug 19, 2006)

http://www.airvent.com/homeowner/products/intake-ventedDE.shtml

Or make your own vented drip edge..

If there is no gap between the top of the fascia and the bottom of the roof deck we cut at least 1"

I nail 1" x 2" cut the same height as the existing fascia ontop of the existing fascia fastened into the rafter butts.

I then install Cobra or some other rolled ridge vent over the old fascia, cut to fit between my 1"x2". 

Next I nail a new 1" fascia board of the same or greater height over onto my 1"x2" spacers.


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## Bridgewater (Aug 20, 2006)

Rerod thats a new one. I see that as a good idea! that brought back a house I seen a similar type of that drip edge on around here in the spring . My roofin days are over though thats for the young bucks, I stick with siding and trim. LOL 
One thing you said that I cant pitcher, you said was about the 1x2 ontop the existing fascia to the rafter butts. Could fill me in a little more?
Thanks Bob


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## Square Eye (Aug 20, 2006)

From the looks of this, I'd want to install this before the roof.
The idea of using ridge vent is good also. The space between the 2 fascia boards would be just enough to let in a little air. The obvious disadvantages, two fascias, time involved, weak edge if the outer fascia does not touch the roof deck. The last one can be corrected with a rip, but the time spent is more than double standard fascia installation. The most advantage would come with the ability to mount a gutter to this without worrying about it flooding and getting back into the roof. The drip edge pictured below looks like it could be a moisture problem waiting to happen. This sort of venting would only be worth the trouble where there is no opportunity for soffit venting, as in, no overhang.


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