Omar Khalid
Ridge vents are used to provide uniform cooling along the entire roof deck, and they can also prevent water and insects from entering the attic. Ridge vents come in two types: metal and shingle-over. The installation process involves removing any debris and existing shingles, creating adequate clearance for airflow, measuring and cutting openings, fastening the vent material, and securing it with nails and caps. It is important to follow safety guidelines and consider the challenges of working on a roof before attempting a ridge vent installation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of ridge vents | Metal, shingle-over, plastic, aluminium |
| Installation process | Remove debris, cut and nail down flashing and shingles, fasten vent material, nail down roof cap shingles |
| Tools required | Circular saw, pry bar, claw hammer, utility knife, roofing nails, nail gun, roof cement, aluminium ridge vent, polyurethane caulk, connectors, end caps |
| Safety precautions | Wear fall-arresting equipment, be confident with heights and tools, be aware of physical demands |
| Cost | $150 for materials, $400-$500 for professional installation |
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Prepare the roof
Preparing the roof for a plastic ridge vent installation is a challenging project that requires working on a tall ladder and on top of the roof while using hand and power tools. If you have any anxiety over heights or are not quite sure how to handle your tools, consider hiring a professional.
Before starting, ensure you have the correct safety equipment, including fall-arresting gear, and that you are physically capable of the demanding work. It is best to break up the work into short segments.
First, calculate the net-free area of your roof. After calculating the net-free area, divide that number by two for equal amounts of intake and exhaust. For example, if you have 864 square inches of net-free area, you will need either three round vents or nine square vents to provide adequate intake.
Next, clear your roof of any debris. Then, remove the shingle caps from the roof ridge by prying them up with a pry bar and pulling out the nails with a claw hammer. Now, create clearance for the ridge vent by measuring down from the ridge and snapping a chalk line on either side. This line should be about an inch from the peak, with a minimum of one inch of clearance on either side of the ridgeboard to allow airflow. If there is no ridge board present, the opening should be at least one inch from the ridge on both sides.
Now, you are ready to cut along the chalk lines. Using a circular saw, plunge the blade into the ridge at the ends and then follow the chalk line. Be sure to adjust the blade depth so that you only cut through the decking and not the rafters or trusses. Once cut, remove the waste strips of decking and install new field shingles as needed to cover any exposed decking.
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Install the vent
Installing a ridge vent can be a challenging project that requires working on a tall ladder and on top of the roof while using hand and power tools. If you have any anxiety over heights or are not quite sure how to handle your tools, consider hiring a professional.
To install the vent, start by removing the nails holding the ridge cap shingles in place. There are usually two nails in each asphalt shingle ridge cap, one on either side of the ridge. Snap a chalk line on either side of the ridge that is about an inch from the peak and cut the shingles along both lines with a utility knife.
Next, measure down from the ridge on each side and snap another chalk line to mark the cutting lines on the roof decking. Remove all framing nails that are above or running through these chalk lines using a cat's paw pry bar and a hammer. Secure the decking below each chalk line with new nails driven into the roof rafters or trusses below. Using a circular saw, cut the decking along the chalk lines, ensuring that the blade depth is adjusted correctly so that you only cut through the decking and not the rafters or trusses.
Now you are ready to install the ridge vent. Place the shingle-over ridge vent along the reference line and nail it to the decking along that side, following the manufacturer's instructions. Attach the other side of the vent to the opposite side of the ridge to fully secure the vent. Install asphalt shingle caps over the vent, using the nails recommended by the manufacturer. Apply polyurethane caulk to the underside of the flange on both sides of the vent, as directed by the manufacturer. Position the aluminum ridge vent along the reference line. Fasten the vent to the roof decking and rafters (or trusses) by nailing through the flange on both sides of the vent, using the nails and nail spacing recommended by the manufacturer.
Finally, add any connectors and end caps that came with your ridge vent system to ensure the vent is watertight.
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Secure the vent
Ridge vents are installed from end to end on the roof to provide uniform cooling along the roof deck. They come in two types: metal ridge vents and shingle-over vents. The installation procedure for both types is similar, but shingle-over vents need to be covered with shingles.
To secure the vent, follow these steps:
- Place the shingle-over ridge vent along the reference line and nail the ridge vent to the decking along that side, as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Attach the other side of the vent to the opposite side of the ridge to fully secure the vent.
- Apply polyurethane caulk to the underside of the flange on both sides of the vent, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Position the aluminum ridge vent along the reference line.
- Fasten the vent to the roof decking and rafters (or trusses) by nailing through the flange on both sides of the vent. Use the nails and nail spacing recommended by the manufacturer.
- If you are using a nail gun, ensure that you drive the nails deep enough to attach to the roof deck without denting or distorting the ridge vent.
- Install asphalt shingle caps over the vent, using the nails recommended by the manufacturer.
- Add any connectors and end caps that came with your ridge vent system to ensure the vent is watertight.
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Seal the vent
Sealing the vent is an important step in the installation process. Ridge vents can be made from metal or plastic and are installed from end to end on the roof to provide uniform cooling along the roof deck. The type of ridge vent you have will determine the sealing process.
For a shingle-over vent, you will need to cover the vent with asphalt shingle caps. These should be nailed into place, following the manufacturer's recommendations for nail spacing and positioning. You may need to paint the shingles to match your roof. If so, prime the shingles first and then use a high-quality metal enamel paint.
For an aluminum vent, no additional capping is required. However, you should apply polyurethane caulk to the underside of the flange on both sides of the vent, following the manufacturer's instructions.
In both cases, you should ensure that any gaps between vent sections are properly sealed. For shingle-over vents, you should overlap the shingles enough to cover the nails. For metal vents, use the metal straps provided to cover the joints between sections, nailing them into place.
Finally, check that your ridge vent is watertight by adding any connectors and end caps that came with your ridge vent system.
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Finish the roof
Before installing the ridge vent, measure down from the ridge and snap a chalk line to mark the cutting lines on the roof decking. Remove any nails above or running through the chalk lines using a pry bar and a hammer. Cut the decking along the chalk lines with a circular saw, ensuring the blade depth is adjusted correctly.
Now you are ready to install the ridge vent. Place the shingle-over ridge vent along the reference line and nail it to the decking. Attach the other side of the vent to the opposite side of the ridge to fully secure it. Apply polyurethane caulk to the underside of the flange on both sides of the vent, then position the aluminum ridge vent along the reference line. Fasten the vent to the roof decking and rafters by nailing through the flange on both sides of the vent, using the nails and spacing recommended by the manufacturer.
Finally, install asphalt shingle caps over the vent, using the nails recommended by the manufacturer. Ridge vents should be evenly spaced to provide adequate intake and exhaust ventilation for your roof.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two primary types of ridge vents: shingle-over vents and metal vents. Metal vents can be made of aluminium or galvanized nails, and may need to be painted to match the roof.
You will need to wear fall-arresting equipment and be confident using hand and power tools. You will also need to calculate the net-free area to ensure proper air circulation, and prepare the ridge of the roof by removing nails and debris from the slot.
First, insert an end plug into the first section of the ridge vent and align it with the end of the roof. Then, nail the ridge vent to the decking, following the manufacturer's instructions. Next, attach the other side of the vent to the opposite side of the ridge and secure it with nails. Finally, install asphalt shingle caps over the vent, using the nails recommended by the manufacturer.
