Does a Roof Need Ridge Vent?

In Edmonton, ridge vents are less commonly used by homeowners, although they offer some distinctive advantages. 

Some Edmonton homeowners use ridge vents to maximize air movement in the attic space. In theory, this is true, because only ridge vents utilize thermal effect efficiently and effectively. Also, ridge vents are blend in with the roofing shingles and they are almost invisible from the ground. 

In order to install ridge vents, you need to calculate how many linear feet of ridge vent needed. If your ceiling area is 1,000 square feet, for example: 

First, use 1,000/300/2=1.67 sq.ft. of net free vent area at the ridge is needed. 

Second, translate the total vent area to the linear feet of ridge vent needed. Ridge vents come with a net free area ("NFA") on the product description. For example, the WeatherPro baffle's NFA is 18.3 square inches/foot.

Translate square inches to square feet first: 18.3 square inches = 0.127 square feet. 

Next, use 1.67/0.127 = 13 feet of ridge vent is needed. 

If this step is too complicated, you may simply use 1.67*144/18 =13 feet. 

Some homeowners would like to use ridge vents but they can't due to a lack of ridge length. 

At Safe Roofing, we do not always recommend to use ridge vents unless when a special situation requires us to do so. For example, some cathedral ceilings can use ridge vents.