Which Is Better Ridge Vent Or Attic Fan

Purchasing an electric or solar attic fan may not provide the savings that homeowners expect.

Which is better ridge vent or attic fan.

It has the ability to work with vaulted ceilings and you only need one of them to get the job done for ventilation as compared to multiple box vents. Without ventilation unfinished attic spaces can end up having stagnant air. Also since the fan is powered by the sun it should turn off when the sky is overcast during a storm which will keep it from drawing rain into the attic. Installing roof ridge vents and more attic insulation are better options experts say.

It also works better because it creates a vacuum. A ridge vent runs across the top of the roof s peak. Unlike ridge vents attic fans use electricity and need regular maintenance to keep working properly. At one point on the roof it is about 30 from the soffit to the ridge with a 2 12 pitch.

I have been doing some research and it seems like the best way to go is to use soffit ridge vents instead of an attic fan. If you have suitable intake venting a ridge vent might be a better. Since your solar vent fan only moves 500 cfm a third to half that of a typical hardwired attic vent fan it probably won t move enough air to reverse the action of the ridge vent. Choosing a ridge vent or an attic fan.

Attic fans can also make a lot of noise. Continuous ridge vents are more effective because they are installed at the peak of a roof s ridge allowing for warm air to escape from the attic. However the roof is only a 2 12 pitch and i am wondering if the shallow pitch will have any adverse effect on the vents. Adding roof ridge vents can reduce summer air conditioning costs prevent roof mildew and rot and keep your roof in better shape longer.

A ridge vent is similar to a screen and allows heat to escape up and out of the attic.