# Which ridge vent to use



## Tommy V

Hi, Im looking for opinions on ridge vents for a Minnesota house, 4/12 pitch, with the potential for snow build up. Im a genral contractor, and have done some roofing, but never tried ridge vent, and there are many choices. Any opinions on the differant brands?


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## River Rat Dad

I am currently a fan of Shingle Vent II

Used Coravent back in the day when it was the only option for a vent that you caped over. But i think better products have passed them by


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## Grumpy

I too like the shingle vent II, however there are some very similair vents on the market. Cobra II, and even rollvent have a rigid plastic baffled ridge vent. The baffle is the key IMO, howevr I don't mind using the tamko ridge vent or the Roll vent when necessary (there's only a few bucks cost difference).


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## Shingle Monkey

Shingle vent II


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## minnesotaroofin

Snow Country is good -- I personally would recomend staying with traditional venting on a 4/12. Turtle vents are tried and true. if it aint broke why fix it?


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## AaronB.

I like the original CObra vent. IT looks good when Im done and I can say "whatevah" to the roofers that say it has to look like crap (ucz they cannot understand how to install it right)


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## sage

Shingle Vent II as well.


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## MJW

I feel Omni Roll is the only one to use. It is the only product I have used yet that keeps bats and bugs out. I have used all the ones mentioned and Omni vents the best also.


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## Alan Hughes

I'm not familiar with Omni vent. I'll have to check that out.  

shinglevent II is what I like.

I try to get $5 a ft to cutout and install, shinglevent included. How about you guys?


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## River Rat Dad

Another thought.... most of the above products claim a net free airflow of 18" per running foot. It is importent to provide at least as much intake from some sort of soffit system


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## Grumpy

Yes any ridge vent will not work without equal or greater intake ventilation. In addition do not mix ventilation systems. I was at a house yesterday training my new salesman and I told him we will not be installing a ridge vent because of the gable vents. I said instead we would install a few mushroom vents just to enhance the system.

He said "but the neighbor's have gable vents and ridge vents." I said "And if the neighbor's roofer's jumped off a bridge, would we also jump off a bridge? It's not right, and don't take my word for it. Look it up on the websites or int he brochures."


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## AaronB.

Well, isnt that the same premise? Short circuiting the ventialation system with mushroom vents? Same as if it were ridge vent? Should you really be making sure the gable vents are sufficiently sized? Unless they are acting as an intake, then it wouldnt matter either way, if youre putting ANY vents in the roof.


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## dougger222

Omni roll for me if ridge vent is a must.

I've used them all and although the ten foot sections left unridged are the fastest to install they look the worst when finished.

Cobra roll is ok as are the plastic four footers.

I recommend net free galv. metal roof louvers that are flush on the sides on all tear offs and 98% of new stuff is roof louvers. 

Strongly discourage ridge vent on homes with a pitch under a 6/12. Several years ago my father was given called back to a huge apartment building he worked on after started to leak. He couldn't figure why such a straight forward roof would leak until he peaked his head in the attic, four foot snow drifts. When the snow of the roof and the attic melted he was paid to rip off the ridge vent and install roof louvers.

A framer I know added roof louvers to his lake home he found out he wasn't getting enough ventilation out of his ridge vent.


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## Grumpy

AaronB. said:


> Well, isnt that the same premise? Short circuiting the ventialation system with mushroom vents? Same as if it were ridge vent? Should you really be making sure the gable vents are sufficiently sized? Unless they are acting as an intake, then it wouldnt matter either way, if youre putting ANY vents in the roof.


The problem is you can not always increase the size of the gable vents. 

Aaron, it's actually not the same premise. I discussed this with some of the ventilation engineers at AirVent and they stated that if you have soffit intake then gable vents act much like mushroom vents act, as static ventilators where air rises in the soffit and out the gable vents. 

He also said that if there are no soffit vents then you do not want to install the mushroom vents because then you WILL be short circuiting the system. When no soffit vents are in place, the gable vents act alike a wind tunnell and air tavels horizontally instead of veritcally. 

So to summarize, if there is soffit intake AND gable vents, it is ok to install mushroom as additional exhaust. If there is not soffit intake you should not install mushrooms.


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## JustRightCo

Shingle vent II:whistling :whistling :thumbsup:


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## bestmetalroof

*cor-a-vent*

The cor-a-vent V600 beats the pants off everything else--Including Shinglevent II.
-Best


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## RooferJim

GAF Cobra is by far the best. and yes I have tried them all.

RooferJim

J.Bennette Roofing inc.


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