AboutBrad Zacharia Expertise All aspects of residential Roofing. This includes shingles and flat (low slope) roofs. I have knowledge in the installation as well as the design of roofs from an engineering standpoint.
Experience I have been doing roofing for 40 years. This was my father's business and I took it over in 1980.
Publications I have written responses to artcles that I felt needed a response to and those responses have been published in roofing trade magazines.
Education/Credentials BSEE Drexel University
www.ZachariaRoofing.com
Question I had been told that a ridge vent will vent more air than turbines. I had a roofing company give me an estimate and when I told them I wanted to replace my turbines with a ridge vent, I was told that I could not do that because I had a gable roof with vents in each gable at both ends of my house. The contractor stated that gable vents and ridge vents would work against each other. Is that true? I have a ranch style house 28' X 65', aprox 1820 SF. In the eaves I have 1' X 8" vents every 10'. Would I be better off staying with the turbines or going with a ridge vent.
Answer Ridge vents can be put on in any length and up to infinite feet while a turbine has only a specific about of space for each vent. Generally turbines are not used on shingle roofs because they are ugly. Ridge vents are much more appealing.
The way venting works is that cool air comes in the bottom, heats up and rises as it heats up and goes out the top. How it gets out the top can be ridge, gable or both - the more the merrier. The gable vents and the ridge vents will not work against each other.
The soffit vent should match the ridge in area or some venting is being wasted. For instance, if you have 10 sq-ft of soffit vent and 15 sq-ft of ridge vent than you have 5 more in ridge vent than can be used. The 5 is a waste but will not hurt. If 10 is coming in the bottom of the roof then 15 can't go out the top. Only 10 will go out the top.
