How to Tell if Your Ridge Vent Is Installed Properly
Having your roof's ridge vents properly installed is important in preventing roof venting deficiencies. A properly installed ridge vent ensures that fresh air circulates continuously, improving your indoor air quality. Also, it prevents the growth of mold and mildew in the attic crawl space and the underside of the eaves.
Determining if a ridge vent is installed properly requires a professional eye, so continue reading if you don't know what to look for.
In general, to find out if your ridge vent is installed properly, walk along its entire length and pull the vent slightly upward every few meters. Inspect the vent for any loose seams or fasteners; have them repaired as soon as possible. Even a nail slightly out of place can cause problems later on.
Can a Ridge Vent be Installed Wrong?
Your ridge vent serves a critical role: to let the damp and warm air that accumulates in your attic out. The warm and moist air from your house naturally rises and settles in the attic.
If the air is left in the attic for a long time, it causes all manner of problems, including mold growth in the attic. Besides, the beam of your entire roof will begin to rot. Therefore, you must install the vent correctly for it to let the warm air out.
The ridge vent is a very delicate component of your roof. If it is not installed correctly, it may let in moisture from the outside. Such leakages may occur because of gaps that may be left between the vent and the roof.
What does a Ridge Vent Look Like from the Inside?
The way your ridge vent looks from the inside is determined by the nature of the house's roofing. In some houses, the metal roof is directly installed on the roofing boards.
The main reason for using this roofing approach is to allow the venting of the attic. If this is the case, you will see a small hole on the underside of the roof. Looking through this space allows you to see the underside of the ridge vent.
However, the roofs of some houses are designed differently. If the roofing technician left some space between the metal roofing and the boards, you would not see a space that may allow you to view the underside of the ridge vent from the inside of your house.
Warning Signs your Ridge Vent is not Installed Correctly.
It's important to catch an improperly installed ridge vent early. Most of the time, you'll be able to fix many roof ridge vent problems or talk to a roofing professional before any damage occurs.
Still, you need to know what the warning signs associated with improperly installed ridge vents are so that you can take action.
Ridge Vent Leaks
The clearest sign that your ridge vent is not installed correctly is if water is leaking through the vents. This means that the seams or fasteners are loose, making the ridge vent disconnected from the roof. In some cases, if the sealant is degraded or you have bowls on the ridge cap, you may still see slight water trickles.
Keep in mind that if your roof is leaking near the ridge vent, it's not always because of the caps, and it's not also because of the ridge vent itself; it's almost always because of how it's installed.
So, inspect the roof by walking along the entire length of your ridge vent, slightly pull the ridge vent and confirm if it's in place or if you have some loose sections.
No air coming in the soffit vents and out the ridge vents
Another sign that your ridge vent is not installed properly is if you can't see air coming in the soffit vents and out the ridge vents.
You'll be able to tell if this is the case by observing your ridge vent from a distance during warm or frosty days. If you see blurriness of air exhausting from the ridge vents when the weather is warm and defrosting and melted ice around the vents on a frosty day, that's a clear indication that they are working just fine. If you don't, it means they aren't installed the right way.
Shingle Obstructions
Shingle obstruction is one of the most common problems of ridge vent installation. Your roofing technician must be meticulous during the installation process to avoid committing any of the errors that usually cause shingle obstructions in ridge vents.
When inspecting your ridge vent from the inside of your attic, you are not supposed to see the underside of the roof shingle. If this happens, then there is a severe problem that you should investigate before things get out of hand. The most common error is that the roofing technician may have made the ridge vent longer than it should be.
Dealing with shingle obstructions is a complicated process. Let your roofing technician use established techniques to solve the problem. It is wrong to cut the extending shingles from the top side of the roof because this may cause leakages.
Roofing Felt Obstructions
The felt that is used in roofing procedures can obstruct your ridge vent. This error occurs when your technician installs felt of building paper over the opening created by removed plywood before placing the ridge vent.
If this is the case, your ridge vent will be obstructed by the felt of building paper. The obstruction interferes with the performance of the ridge vent.
You can detect this error when inspecting your ridge vent from the inside of the attic. You will have to cut the building paper to examine the underside of the ridge vent mesh. Any certified roofing technician can help you solve this problem.
Attic Leakages
Leakage in the attic is one of the most common signs of improper ridge vent installation. Leakages occur when there is enough space to allow moisture to sip through the ridge vent into your attic. The moisture comes from precipitation.
Attic leakages are easy to detect because of their effect on your roof. When water droplets continually fall into your attic, they cause the wooden structures to start rotting. You will also detect the growth of mold because of attic leakages.
These signs can be easily detected during routine roof inspections. The leakage may be because your roofer did not use enough sealant properly when installing the ridge vent.
Should you See the Light Through a Ridge Vent?
Yes, you should see the light through your ridge vent; however, the light should be a faint ray. If lots of light are coming through your ridge vent, a technical problem needs to be identified and rectified.
You can check this by getting to your attic at night. Switch off all the lights in the attic and watch what happens. You should see a faint ray of light coming into your attic through the ridge vents.
You should also see some rays of light at the eaves. The eaves are the terminal end of the rafters. It should not be more than this.
Should the Ridge Vent go All the Way Across the Roof?
It is possible to have your ridge vent go all the way across the roof. The decision on whether the ridge vent should go all the way across the roof is determined by two things: the code and aesthetics.
Different areas have specific building codes. The codes contain detailed rules that should be followed during the construction process. some codes dictate the minimum distance that should be allowed between ridge vents and other roofing components in buildings.
It is necessary to adhere to such regulations. If the regulations allow it, you can have your ridge vent go all the way across the roof of your building. Alternatively, you can leave spaces for aesthetics.
What You Should Do Immediately About Improperly Installed Ridge Vent
If you're able to determine if your ridge vents are not installed properly, there are things you can do depending on what the problem is.
However, the best thing is to call a roofing professional before you do anything: they'll be able to do the work for you, perform a quality and professional diagnosis on the roof, and offer the best solution.
The next best thing you should do is find out from the manufacturer how to install this particular ridge vent. Look closely at the installation process and find out if the roofer missed anything.
Maybe they didn't nail it properly or cut the slots 3/4 inches on each side of the ridge board, or the ridge caps are dipped in. Whatever fault you find, ask your roofer to get them fixed.
How to Install A Ridge Vent the Right Way
Installing a ridge vent need not be a complicated process if you understand the procedure and have all the necessary tools and materials.
Here is a brief breakdown of the process for you.
Step 1: Removing the shingle caps
You can use a pry bar to loosen the nails and then remove them to expose the shingles. You can then use a utility knife with a hook to remove the shingles. Carefully removing the felt will expose about three inches of the decking on your roof. This procedure is applicable when you are using the shingle-over style of installing a ridge vent.
Step 2: Cutting the ventilation opening
You should mark the cutting lines on your ridge using chalk or any other tool that can make easy-to-see markings. Ideally, the cutting should be done to allow a minimum of one inch on both sides of the ridge board in your roof. Adhering to this measurement ensures that the air flows through the opening to the vent freely.
3. Covering exposed areas with new field shingles
Where the decking is exposed, apply new shingles to cover the openings. Also, ensure that the original shingles that were trimmed back during the previous step are fully secured.
4. Install the ridge vent
When installing the ridge vent on your roof, remember to place the shingle-over ridge vent carefully following the marking. Secure your ridge vent on the deck by using the appropriate type and size of nails.
You can then complete the process by installing the asphalt shingle caps over the vent. Refer to the recommendations and instructions of the manufacturer when you are unsure how to go about this step.
We have also included everything you need to know about ridge vents for metal roofs.
Conclusion
Improper installation of ridge vents can be quite costly. You may have to do with leakages in the attic, rotting parts of your roof, and even the ridge vents getting blown away by a strong wind.
When installing your ridge vents, strictly follow the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer. Alternatively, get a certified roofing technician to complete the procedure for you.
How to Tell if Your Ridge Vent Is Installed Properly
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