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What is a ridge vent?

A ridge vent is an opening along the roof’s peak that lets air leave a vented attic. At the eaves, DOE describes a typical 1-to-2-inch air gap above insulation; include that lower intake path when scoping the job, rather than considering the roof outlet alone.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Updated

What this means for your home project

  1. Look under the long sides of the roof eaves to locate the soffit area for an intake assessment. Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.
  2. Request the proposed vent’s clear opening area in writing, accounting for its screening and slot dimensions. Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.
  3. Ask the roofer to include a clear eave air path above insulation in the written scope, with the typical 1-to-2-inch gap described by DOE identified. Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.
  4. Request the proposed upper-roof vent’s built-in baffle or lip detail, showing how it handles changing wind direction. Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.
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Do I have to have soffit vents with a ridge vent?

Yes—a vented attic needs a low-level air supply, so have the roofer trace the path past the eave insulation before adding an outlet. “When soffit vents are coupled with upper roof vents, the intent is to provide “balanced attic ventilation” where the vent area of the soffit vents matches the vent area of the upper vents.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03. “Attic spaces that are ventilated typically have soffit vents, which consist of a continuous ventilation opening (“strip vent”) and an insulation baffle that maintains an air gap typically 1 to 2 inches deep between the underside of the roof sheathing and the top surface of the insulation layer (Figure 4).” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

Does the ridge vent need to be covered?

Yes—for the continuous type DOE illustrates, distinguish the raised ventilation assembly from its covering when reviewing a roof photo or replacement scope. “A continuous ridge vent extends the length of the ridge of a gable roof and is concealed by ridge tiles or shingles (Source: Building Science Corporation).” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

I have ridge vent and soffit vents - should I seal my gable vents?

Have the roofer assess closing them as part of the ventilation design, because an existing end-wall opening can bypass the intended eave-to-peak path. “In general, gable end vents should not be used in conjunction with ridge or off-ridge vents because the gable-end vents are likely to “short-circuit” attic air flow.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03. “Gable end vents, when installed in an attic that also has ridge vents, can render soffit venting ineffective.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

How do I figure how much ridge vent I need to use?

Use clear opening area rather than the vent’s outside dimensions, and request a calculation based on the attic floor or ceiling area. ““Net free ventilation area” refers to the clear open area of a vent, taking into account the restrictions of the vent screening itself and the dimensions of the vent slots.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03. “The area of the attic space to be ventilated is the area of the flat floor or ceiling that separates the attic space from conditioned space.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

Does my house need an attic fan if I have ridge vents and soffit vents?

Usually, a passive system is the starting point in DOE guidance; ask for an airflow assessment before adding powered extraction to the same attic. “Passive attic ventilation is achieved without fans through an arrangement of vents in the soffits, eaves, gables, and/or ridge of the roof structure.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03. “Passive attic ventilation is generally recommended over attic ventilation fans due to the multiple issues that can arise with the use of attic fans.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

What should the installer check before adding a ridge vent?

Before selecting hardware, request its built-in wind baffle detail and documentation for specification TAS 100 (A), cited in DOE’s Florida Building Code reference. “Upper roof/attic vents should be selected with built-in baffles or “lips” that provide turbulence and suction regardless of wind direction.” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03. “The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) Fortified Home program recommends that vent models be certified as resistant to wind and water intrusion in accordance with Florida Building Code TAS 100 (A).” Source: DOE Building America Solution Center (PNNL), read 2026-11-03.

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