We have a 40 year old brick house, 3 stories including basement.
The upstairs in our house is very hot. Air Conditioning runs all night. The attic does not have a "Ridge Vent" or Attic Fan. We had a Gable fan on one side of the house but it stopped working. No noticable difference when it ran.
Is a Ridge Vent preferable over an Attic Fan? I had heard that was preferable over the Attic Fan but I wanted to get some more opinions. We requested an estimate from a reliable contractor for a new roof but he said the roof would last another 6 to 7 years.
Can a "Ridge Vent" be installed on an existing roof?
Does it make economical sense if the roof has 5 years left?
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A ridge vent can be installed on an existing roof and a ridge vent is far more economical than an attic fan.
But for a ridge vent to work you also need perforated/vented soffits under your roof eaves so that there is a constant flow of fresh air into the attic that is ventilated when it warms through the upper ridge vent.
Ridge vents generally cannot be used with hip type roofs, however, because the ridge is usually not long enough to provide enough ventilation through a ridge vent.
But ventilation should not be your only concern here. You also need to add insulation to the attic to reduce heat transfer from the attic to the living space below.
Add insulation and ventilation and your problems should be resolved.
But for a ridge vent to work you also need perforated/vented soffits under your roof eaves so that there is a constant flow of fresh air into the attic that is ventilated when it warms through the upper ridge vent.
Ridge vents generally cannot be used with hip type roofs, however, because the ridge is usually not long enough to provide enough ventilation through a ridge vent.
But ventilation should not be your only concern here. You also need to add insulation to the attic to reduce heat transfer from the attic to the living space below.
Add insulation and ventilation and your problems should be resolved.
I have at least 2 times the amount of soffit venting as ridge venting, thus my attic is very, very hot in the summer. I need to cool this space for storage and to help my evap coil/furnace in the attic. How can I increase the ventilation to cool the attic?
I have been researching attic fans and understand it will cause improper venting as it will pull from the ridge. If I add a gable vent with or without fan, or a turbine vent would this help my situation? OR, is there a better solution?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
I have been researching attic fans and understand it will cause improper venting as it will pull from the ridge. If I add a gable vent with or without fan, or a turbine vent would this help my situation? OR, is there a better solution?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
