I've had ridge vents on my modified bitumen roof for a while too, and they've been solid—no complaints here either. From what I've seen, turbines might move air a bit more actively, especially when there's a breeze, but ridge vents offer more consistent passive airflow overall. If your ridge vents are holding up well and you're not noticing heat buildup issues, you're probably good. Turbines might help a bit more in extreme heat, but the difference isn't usually huge...sounds like you're already on the right track.
Ridge vents are definitely reliable, but I'd argue turbines can make a noticeable difference in certain climates. I've inspected homes where ridge vents alone weren't quite cutting it during peak summer months—especially in areas with minimal wind flow. Turbines actively pulling hot air out can sometimes drop attic temps by several degrees, which might help your insulation perform better overall. Not saying ridge vents aren't solid, just that turbines might offer more than a marginal benefit depending on your specific setup and local conditions...
Had a job last summer where the homeowner swore by ridge vents alone, but the attic was still cooking—felt like a sauna up there. We popped in a couple turbines, and the difference was night and day. Ridge vents are solid, but sometimes you gotta give 'em a little help...
Yeah, ridge vents alone can struggle, especially if the attic space is tight or the airflow isn't ideal. I've seen cases where adding reflective barriers or even bumping up insulation thickness made a huge difference too... turbines definitely help, but sometimes it's about combining methods.
Good points there. A few things I've seen work well:
- Adding rigid foam insulation boards directly under the modified bitumen can really boost thermal performance.
- Reflective coatings on the roof surface itself can cut down heat absorption significantly.
- If attic airflow is limited, sometimes installing powered attic fans (solar-powered ones are nice) can help move air better than passive vents alone.
Usually, a combo approach gets the best results... every roof seems to have its quirks though.
