Had a roofer try to sell me on a bunch of extra vents last year—said it’d “fix everything.” Fast forward to our first sideways rain and I’m up there with towels. I’d rather have fewer, well-placed vents that don’t turn into water slides. Quality install beats quantity every time, at least around here.
Had a similar experience when I replaced my shingles last spring. The contractor wanted to add a row of box vents, but I was worried about leaks—especially since we get those wild wind-driven rains here too. Ended up sticking with just a couple ridge vents and making sure the soffits were clear. Noticed the attic’s way less stuffy, and no water issues so far. Sometimes less really is more, especially if you’re watching both the budget and the weather forecast.
I get the hesitation with box vents—seen plenty of leaks around poorly installed ones, especially after a big storm rolls through. But I wouldn’t write them off completely. Ridge vents are great if your roofline’s long enough and the attic’s got good airflow, but on shorter ridges or complicated roof shapes, sometimes they just can’t move enough air. I’ve seen attics cook in the summer even with clear soffits and a couple ridge vents.
One thing I’d watch for: if you’re only using a few vents, make sure you’re not getting hot spots or condensation in the corners. Had a client last year who thought less was more, but ended up with mold behind the insulation because the air wasn’t circulating right. Sometimes a mix of vent types actually helps, as long as they’re installed right and you don’t mix ridge and box vents on the same run.
Guess it really depends on your roof shape and local weather. Around here, I’d rather patch a box vent leak than deal with a cooked attic or hidden mold. Just my two cents.
- Totally agree about roof shape making a difference. My place has a bunch of valleys and hips, so ridge vents alone just didn’t cut it. Ended up with hot corners—could feel the heat radiating when I poked my head up there in July.
- Box vents made a noticeable difference for me, but yeah, install is everything. I did the flashing myself and used a ton of sealant after seeing what happened to my neighbor’s after a windstorm. No leaks so far, knock on wood.
- One thing I’d add: if you’re in a spot with heavy snow, box vents can get buried and stop working. Had that happen a couple winters ago. Ridge vents can ice up too, but at least they’re higher up.
- Mixing vent types does seem to help as long as you keep intake and exhaust balanced. I almost made the mistake of adding gable vents, but a friend said it could mess with the airflow if you already have ridge vents.
- Mold is a nightmare. Found a patch behind some old insulation last year—took forever to dry out and clean up. Would rather deal with a minor leak than that any day.
- If I had to do it again, I’d probably pay more attention to how the air actually moves up there instead of just counting vents. Live and learn...
If I had to do it again, I’d probably pay more attention to how the air actually moves up there instead of just counting vents. Live and learn...
That’s the key right there. I learned the hard way—just adding more vents didn’t fix my attic heat. Once I mapped out the airflow (smoke bombs, seriously), I realized half my soffits were blocked by insulation. Cleared those and suddenly the ridge vents started working like they should. Counting vents is just the start... airflow is everything.