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Seldom do most of us give much thought to the air flow in our attic. Ventilation is vital for roofing systems on homes with unheated attic spaces. Roof vents are the key to proper venting. They keep air moving under your roof to protect your home from damage caused by heat and humidity that would otherwise become trapped in the attic. Roof Top Exhaust Axial Fan
Anytime is a good time to evaluate your roof ventilation needs. However, the topic is most relevant when you’re installing a new roof or upgrading your insulation. Our team has sorted through the major competitors to create this list of the 10 best roof vents available, along with factors to consider when deciding which roof vent is right for you.
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Lomanco Whirlybird® Turbine B I B-14
Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? First up on our list is just that. The Lomanco Whirlybird Turbine B -14” combines the capability of a powered roof vent with the simplicity of a passive vent. For high performance and energy-efficiency, this rooftop vent delivers, and costs moderately.
The 14-inch diameter Whirlybird is most effective in winds above five miles per hour. When the wind is quiet, it still functions as a passive roof vent for just over 1,000 square feet of attic space. The wide flange mounts the all aluminum turbine on roofs up to a slope of 45 degrees. For strength, each junction holding the frame, and the 21 curved veins, is fastened together with rivets.
It’s durable enough to tolerate winds of 110 mph in lab tests, and Lomanco backs it with a lifetime warranty that’s transferable to everyone that ever owns the house after you.
Lomanco Whirlybird® Turbine B I B-12
Lomanco’s turbine vents are so good that they take the second spot as well. The Whirlybird Turbine B-12” from Lomanco is everything their 14-inch turbine is, in a slightly smaller package. It’s ideal for homes with smaller attic spaces, or in homes where several vents are needed.
Priced competitively, and rated at 4.8 of 5 on Amazon, it’ll vent 771 square feet of attic space on roofs as steep as a 12/12 pitch.
This turbine vent is just as durable as its bigger sibling and also carries with it Lomanco’s transferable lifetime warranty.
Air Vent Airhawk® Wind Turbines
The Air Vent company manufactures all kinds of home venting systems. One of their best is our third place holder. The Airhawk Wind Turbines, model TIB12SWW turbine vent moves a large amount of air quickly, and works as a passive vent when the wind isn’t blowing.
Maintenance free bearings are located both above and below the aluminum vanes and internal braces for excellent stability in strong winds.
It comes in four color options to match most roofs, which can be sloped from a 3/12 to a 12/12 pitch. Each turbine is capable of venting 600 to 650 square feet of attic space. Air Vent put a ventilation calculator on their website so you’ll know how many you need, and they warranty each one for life.
Next up is the Venturivent Plus, also from Air Vent. Model number SHFVBLN is their semi-rigid plastic ridge vent.
Ridge vents are customizable to vent any size roof as long as it has a slope of 3/12 or steeper. They’re often recommended for use in high-wind areas. The Venturivent Plus is rated for wind conditions in Miami-Dade county.
Rain stays out due to the built-in external baffle, and Air Vent provides a once-transferable limited lifetime warranty.
Maxx Air 1,650 Cfm Gable Mount Power Attic Ventilator
For homeowners who don’t want to leave their attic venting up to chance, the Maxx Air 1,650 CFM Gable Mount Power Attic Ventilator, model #CX2500UPS, may be just what you’re looking for.
This AC powered gable vent fan removes enough hot, damp air to fully vent a 2,500-square-foot attic. Its galvanized steel construction weighs just 10 pounds to facilitate easy installation. The pre-wired, adjustable temperature thermostat saves energy costs by only allowing the 14-inch diameter fan to run when it’s needed.
Special mounting hardware ensures the unit stays free of noisy vibrations, and Maxx Air backs up their product with a lifetime limited warranty.
GAF Materials Cobra® Exhaust Vent for Roof Ridge
North America’s largest roofing material manufacturer, GAF Materials, makes a showing at sixth place with their Cobra Exhaust Vent for Roof Ridge, model 2005. It’s hard to beat this ridge vent product in terms of simplicity and low-cost.
The relatively soft composite fiber material is easy to manage during installation, and can be used on roofs up to 16/12 pitch. To make things even easier, GAF throws in their proprietary nail fasteners with each roll. They fit in all major brand nail guns and ensure proper fastening without any guesswork.
QuietCool Thermostat Controlled Gable Fan for Attic Cooling
QuietCool’s Thermostat Controlled Gable Fan for Attic Cooling is next on our list. The only electrical knowledge you’ll need to install this fan is how to plug it into an outlet. This power gable fan vents up to 1,900 square feet of attic space.
The heavy duty steel, 23-pound, construction houses a built-in thermostat to control the two-speed, highly efficient fan motor. QuietCool specializes in air movement products for garages, attics and whole houses. They back this product up with a 15-year warranty.
Remington Solar Attic Fan 30 Watt BLACK
If you need a very capable power vent, but don’t want to pay for electricity to operate it, this might be your next attic fan. The Remington Solar Attic Fan 30 Watt, model SF30-BLK, is next on our list. It doesn’t cost anything to run, but it’s not cheap to purchase.
Remington packs this 30-pound, steel-constructed, solar-powered, attic fan vent with features. A polycrystalline solar panel powers the 24-volt DC motor with enough power to vent a full 2,500-square-foot attic. In the package, you’ll also find a humidistat and thermostat already installed, and a solar panel that’s tiltable to 45 degrees for optimizing the sun’s rays.
The lifelong warranty covers all of its parts, but is only available to the original homeowner.
Duraflo 11″X10″ Std Square Gable Vent Cut Open 8.5″X7.75″
In some situations, a simple, passive gable vent is the best option. It’s ninth in our top 10 list, but it’s first when it comes to simplicity and cost-effectiveness. We’re talking about the 11”X10” Std Square Gable Vent from Duraflo, model #620808.
This plastic vent weighs just 5.1 pounds and installation is simple. A wide, forgiving trim ring hides ugly edges in case your cuts aren’t perfect. Drip channels and weep holes keep water out to protect the home’s framing.
Duraflo only produces roof venting products. They place a 15-year warranty, transferable just one time, on their gable vents. This model only comes in white.
Remington Solar Builder Series – 20-Watt Solar Attic Fan
Another solar-powered roof vent from Remington rounds out our list. Their Solar Builder Series – 20-Watt Solar attic fan, model SF-DLB20R-BLK, comes in tenth. Less expensive than its larger counterpart. As long as the sun is shining, it’ll add nothing to your electric bill. If the sun doesn’t shine enough, an optional 110V hybrid adapter is available online, and plugs into your existing wiring to provide backup power.
The fan comes complete with an installed humidistat and thermostat. The brushless motor is housed in a high-performance steel frame. The solar panel’s angle isn’t adjustable, so installation location is important, but it does come with a 15-year, once-transferable warranty.
Roof vents are essential components of any roofing system as they facilitate air circulation in the attic, which helps regulate temperature, prevent moisture buildup and prolong the life of the roofing materials. There are different types of roof vents, including:
Intake vents are crucial to any roofing system because they facilitate fresh air circulation into the attic. Each type of intake roof vent has its benefits and drawbacks, and the best option for your home will depend on various factors such as the size and shape of the roof, climate and personal preferences. Several intake roof vents are available, including soffit vents, drip edge vents and over fascia vents.
The purpose of an exhaust vent is to remove hot air from your attic and discharge it outside. This prevents heat from building up in your home and making you uncomfortable. They should be installed at each end of your roof ridge where it connects with another roof section or chimney stack. Exhaust vents can also be installed above windows if there is no attic access for installing them elsewhere on your home’s exterior walls. There are several types of intake roof vents available, including ridge vents, turbine vents, power vents and gate vents.
Entire careers are built around attic and roof ventilation. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed about which kind of roof vent your home needs, you’re not alone. Here are some factors to consider when deciding which roof vent is best for you.
First, determine how much venting your home requires. Ideally, your roof should have a minimum of one square foot of ventilation, split between intake and exhaust vents, for every 300 square feet of attic floor space. The amount of ventilation per vent is expressed as net free area, or NFA, and will be listed in product descriptions.
To calculate your venting needs, multiply the length and width of the attic to determine the total attic floor space. Divide the total by 300. That number is the total NFA your attic requires including intake and exhaust. Divide the amount in half to determine how much of each you need.
Consider how new vents will affect the appearance of your home. Now that you’ve figured out how much net free area of venting is required for your roof, you can figure out, from product descriptions, how many of a particular vent type you need.
Each type of vent has unique appearance qualities. Ridge vents can be barely noticeable from a distance and might not affect the appearance of your home at all, while turbine style vents will be very noticeable from the street if they’re not intentionally placed out of view. Some homeowners prefer the look of having turbines, or other vents, in plain view as an accent.
Power roof vents and box vents have low profiles and are relatively discreet, while gable vents can add a touch of style by breaking up a large field of uninterrupted siding.
The weather where you live may determine which vents are best for your house. Low profile ridge vents and box vents are often the choice of homeowners and builders in locations where high winds are probable.
Homes in very wet locations may consider gable venting as the best option to keep the number of, potentially vulnerable, holes in the roof to a minimum.
Power vents will provide the biggest benefits in hot climates where decreasing the amount of hot air in the attic is most important.
As with most things, you’ll want to choose a venting system that’s worth your money. A long warranty is a good start. After all, the venting should, at the very least, last as long as a new roof installation does. But, in addition to the duration of the warranty, be sure to understand exactly what situations and parts the warranty covers. This will give you an idea of the manufacturer’s confidence in the product’s durability.
The single best way to figure out which roof venting system is right for you is to talk with a roofing contractor. They’ll be able to determine your roof’s venting needs and are likely to have a selection of options for you to choose from.
It is incredibly important to make sure your home and roof have proper ventilation. The ventilation is good for all of the extra moisture and heat that tends to accumulate in attics. Whether you live in a cold climate or a hot one, the water buildup can cause structural damage and be costly to repair. Whenever possible, it’s important to start with the best roof ventilation that works for your budget. Advertisement THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Using your home's equity is an easy way to fund your new roof! Get prequalified in minutes by clicking on your state. Learn More
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To determine the best roof vent ranking, the Forbes Home Improvement editorial team analyzed third-party data on 24 of major products, with each product’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including:
A good assumption is that every home with an unconditioned attic needs venting. There are exceptions though. As insulation materials and methods improve over time, the requirements for roof ventilation change along with it. Cathedral and vaulted ceilings often complicate the roof venting issue as well. In some situations roof venting isn’t necessary at all. Discussing your home’s individual needs with a professional is recommended.
Your roof and ceiling will tell you how well your roof is vented. Ice dams on your shingles in winter are a good sign of poor insulation, but are also a sign of poor ventilation. Under the roof, you may find extremely humid attic conditions or even formed condensation if venting is inadequate. A ceiling that’s warm to the touch on a hot, sunny day may mean better ventilation is needed. Properly vented roofs will show none of (or very little of) these symptoms.
Roof vents can have a limited effect on the temperature of the entire house. Homes with poor insulation will feel the effects of poor ventilation more than a home with adequate insulation. To substantially cool a house and keep it that way, upgrading or adding insulation will be your best bet.
Roof vents fall into two broad categories, active and passive. Active vents are vents that are mechanically powered, usually by electricity. Passive vents are vents that depend on temperature differences to naturally circulate air. Wind-actuated turbine vents are passive vents that behave like active vents when the wind is blowing.
For homeowners without a vapor barrier, it’s recommended to have one roof vent for every 150 square feet of ceiling space. It’s typically best for homeowners with a vapor barrier to have at least one roof vent for every 300 square feet of ceiling.
It’s possible for rain to get into roof vents, especially during heavy storms. If this happens, the wind is usually the main culprit, driving water under the vent hood and potentially damaging your home.
Having spent 30+ years in residential construction, contracting, remodeling, maintenance and home repair, Deane now contributes DIY, informational and financial content as a freelance writer and consultant for several publications. Throughout his career, he strived to assist his clients in finding the potential hidden within the walls of every home and empowering them to take control of their household repair and remodeling endeavors. Deane’s primary career goal involves sharing home-related knowledge and providing self-sufficiency tools to as large an audience as possible.
Htfc-K Series Combined Hot Air Unit Samantha is an editor who covers all topics home-related including home improvement and repair. She edited home repair and design content at websites like The Spruce and HomeAdvisor. She also has hosted videos on DIY home tips and solutions and launched multiple home improvement review boards staffed with licensed pros.