

Have you ever looked at a neighbouring roof space and noticed a variety of vents sticking out of it? Well, that’s because roofs require good ventilation to enhance airflow performance throughout homes or commercial properties.
But with many choices for vents within the roofing industry, you might be wondering what the best types of industrial ventilators might be. Read on to find out about several types of commercial ventilation and which system is the most efficient.
Do You Really Need Roof Ventilation?
Not everyone knows about the importance of well-ventilated roofs, both in commercial buildings and residential homes. The idea of fresh air with open windows for natural ventilation is commonplace, but even a commercial roof needs airflow!
No matter the building type, including homes, public swimming pools, office spaces, storefronts, and other commercial buildings, industrial ventilation is necessary to remove heat, promote energy efficiency and lower energy costs, instead of relying on things like air conditioning units.
How Does Roof Ventilation Work?
In summary, roof ventilators take in air and cool it from the heat of the sun, allowing for fresh airflow throughout the attic and roof space itself.
Ventilation is a process where the building and roofing structure breathes, using wind to push circulation through the attic and cool down the rest of the building, instead of allowing hot air to enter the structure directly from the top down.
By having a ventilation system on buildings that allows the attic space to breathe, it forces the vacuum of air to dry out moisture and condensation that could lead to mould growth, promoting better health and roofing lifespans.
And the right industrial ventilation is not only effective but essential. Through attachable vents on the outside of roofs, air is pushed into the building to produce all the benefits mentioned. But the key to good ventilation lies in choosing the best and most effective vent types for installation.
What Are the Different Types of Roof Vents?
To determine the most effective form of ventilation for commercial buildings, it’s important to know a brief overview of the top types of vents available for roofs— including both active vents and static ones.
Active Roof Vents
With a powerful system to remove hot air and force plenty of airflow through even complex buildings, active industrial ventilation can be added to most business structures quite easily.
However, because these vents rely on a power source or very delicate parts, active vents are not best for energy efficiency or ease of maintenance.
Solar-Powered Roof Vents
Solar ventilation is a popular method of forcing air conditioning into a building with renewable resources. Instead of relying on battery power, these solar-powered fans have built-in cells to provide ventilation via the sun’s rays.
Some models do include motors in case of overcast or stormy weather, but for the most part, these units are solely solar-powered, and as such, require careful maintenance.
Turbine Vents
Also known as industrial whirlybirds, this common type of ventilator uses a convection effect to move hot air from within the building’s interior and circulate it with cool airflows.
While some models work solely on that convection process and wind circulation, most modern units have a motor to start spinning and keep the airflow going.
Static Roof Vents
One of the most effective types of ventilation, the range of static or passive vents available don’t require any outside assistance to create airflow, leading to higher energy efficiency and lower operation and energy costs.
By using natural forces to create circulation, these ventilators are reliable and generally require only simple steps to keep them maintained.
Box Vents
Installed over a hole cut into the roofing, box vents are a popular type that allows airflow to pass inside the building and back out again. However, their small size and limited circulation ability make them somewhat unsuited for large and complex commercial ventilation.
Gable Vents
These vents are placed within the exterior wall, right in the seam where the slopes of a roof meet. They are effective, but do rely on the wind from outside to push into the vent and circulate into the building’s highest areas, which can be problematic when experiencing a windless day.
Ridge Vents
For most structures, including houses or other commercial buildings, ridge vents are the most effective and efficient ventilators for roofs, particularly the RapidRidge ventilation system.
This form of passive, vertical circulation uses gravity and the passage of heat and cool air to provide natural ventilation within a property.
That means a building’s upper space is being constantly aired out to prevent moisture and regulate temperatures, without the need for motors or raised energy bills, even if there is no wind that day.
Soffit Vents
Also called eave vents, these installations offer some ventilation around a roof’s periphery and funnel airflow inside. And similar to gable vents, they require gusts of wind to enter the vent for circulation.
What is the Most Effective Roof Venting System?
If you are looking for the perfect solution in industrial or commercial ventilation, the answer is a ridge vent in combination with a dry, fixed roofing system.
This solution by RapidRidge is the answer to a building’s airflow issues, using a combination of passive ventilation components and easy-installation dry roofing methods that are easily maintained and performance-ready.
Dry, fixed roofing with a ridge vent is the optimal way to create passive air circulation throughout a building, without the use of a motor for better energy efficiency. By using eave vents and an open ridge at the roof’s pinnacle, constant airflow is guaranteed to cool the entire structure and save on energy costs.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to deciding on the best system for industrial or commercial ventilation in buildings, there are many options in the roofing industry market, particularly in Australia.
Effective roofing ventilation systems need to be energy efficient and easily maintained, as well as simple to install, leading more customers to rely on RapidRidge’s dry, fixed roofing system with ventilation as the best option.