Structural Ridge Vent On A Roof

An aluminum ridge vent has a mushroom shaped profile combined with a wide flange on both sides that sits on top of the roof shingles.

Structural ridge vent on a roof.

The soffit vents act like the air intake for the home. The loads on the ridge beam are carried by vertical posts at the beam ends down through the building structural walls to the building foundation. The ridge beam could also be flush with the joists the ridge beam is typically a larger member like a 4 x 12 and carries the gravity load of the roof joists just as the bearing wall or header does at the envelope. Find roof ridge vents at lowe s today.

Maintain ridge nailing by adding additional blocking set back from the ridge or by using vent holes see. Expect the installation of a ridge vent to run about 500 on average if you re not touching the rest of the roof. There are two primary types of ridge vents. The roof load is carried on the ridge and on the walls and there is no need for collar ties or ceiling joists to resist lateral thrust.

In a roof with a structural ridge beam there is not lateral thrust i e. A classic example of the exposed ridge beam structure can be seen on our magnolia residence which is currently in construction. Complete replacement may be over 1 000 on some roofing types. A structural ridge beam is a horizontal beam placed at the peak or ridge of a roof and is designed to carry much of the live and dead loads or weight of the roof structure by itself.

A shingle over vent is installed over the ridge of a roof and is covered over by asphalt shingle caps that match the surrounding roof shingles. Ridge vents when the roof sheathing is used as a structural diaphragm as it typically is in high wind and seismic hazard areas the structural integrity of the diaphragm can be compromised by a continuous vent see figure a below left. That means roof ridge vents are like the exhaust system. But for a simple gable styled roof structure here is what a ridge vent looks like from inside the attic of a home.

One of the great things about a ridge vent is that it is at the topmost point of your roof with hot air constantly rising it is bound to make it way out of the top of your vents thus bringing in cooler air through your soffit vents and into your roof cooling it down. They allow the house to breathe correctly. Shingle over vents and aluminum vents. It doesn t work well in warmer climates.