Wichita KS Roof Repair Contractor recommends ridge vents on all homes.

Wichita KS Roof Repair Contractor Bret Hannah, President of Rhino Tuff Roofing, recommends ridge vents on all homes.

At Rhino Tuff Roofing, we are often asked  if the temperature in the attic is hotter than others attics that we have inspected. The answer, in the majority of cases, is that their attic is not particularly hotter than most. Unfortunately nearly all attics are far hotter than they should be in order for their roof structure to provide the cooling affect necessary to ensure the savings a homeowner could realize with proper ventilation.

Proper attic ventilation involves bringing cool air in through soffit vents and removing hot air through roof vents. When the air flow is sufficient it creates a current from the lower part of the attic to the vents at the ridge. This can save the home owner money in several ways:

• The reduction in utility bills brought about by the fact that the air flow creates a cooler environment causing the air conditioner to engage less frequently.
• The life of the A/C unit itself is prolonged due to the decreased usage.
• The life of the shingles is enhanced due to the decreased temperature.

What causes the attic to be so hot?

Usually it’s a combination of things. The most common problem encountered is inadequate soffit ventilation. Soffit vents are located underneath the ’overhang’ where you roof slopes down and hangs over the sides of your home. Most homes have metal soffit vent plates, similar to the air vents you have on your ceiling. Soffit Vents should be place a minimum of 10’ apart but even this can be insufficient to create the airflow needed to dispel enough hot air through the roof vents.

Inadequate soffit ventilation, mentioned above, is typically caused by one of two things:

• either the vent holes are far too small because the builder permitted his installer to punch a couple of hammer holes in the soffits rather than saw a larger hole or the original, or,
• subsequent insulation installer blew insulation into the vent area plugging them so air cannot flow through.

Soffit vents are only half of the equation... roof vents are the other half. Roof vents come in various forms. The most common are what are commonly referred to as Turtle Vents. They look like a  nearly-flat square box. Another less common is the Turbine, often called a Whirlybird. Still less common is a Power Vent.

Recently the Ridge Vent has become more popular because they are most cost effective and energy efficient. They are slightly more expensive than the Turtle Vent or Turbine but they do a superior job of removing hot air from your attic.

Wichita KS Roof Repair Contractor Bret Hannah, President of Rhino Tuff Roofing, is a licensed contractor that has been in the business for 10 years.  Rhino Tuff Roofing is an approved contractor for all insurance companies.