ADJUSTING, MOVING FORWARD IN EXTRA CHALLENGING TIMES
Welcome to another issue of e-Vent Newsletter. This marks the start of our 3rd year publishing this. It all started at the request of you asking for additional resources beyond our annual Ask the Expert™ seminars each winter. Speaking of our seminars, like you, we adjusted as best we could during the COVID-19 pandemic and transitioned from in-person venues to virtual seminars via Microsoft Teams. You’ll find a story about it inside. We are committed to continue sharing industry news, tips you can use in the field, advice for challenging attic ventilation projects, and noteworthy Air Vent happenings. We’ll continue to publish twice a year, midway and year-end. Email us your comments here: pscelsi@gibraltar1.com.
Thank you! Stay well out there. - Paul Scelsi, Ask the Expert™ Seminar Leader
DID YOU KNOW?
Shingle Life is Cut Short 24% Due to Improper Attic Ventilation
We polled residential roofing professionals across North America and asked: “In your local field experience, what percentage of shingle life reduction do you see due to incorrect or zero attic ventilation?” The results came back @ 24%. We dug a little deeper and found the following shingle damage revealed: extreme to complete granule loss, blistering on the shingles, shingles curling up on the end, brittle shingles, premature dry-out, and cracking & fracturing throughout the shingle. You can read the first-hand accounts from the roofing contractors themselves in Roofing Contractor magazine: Improper Attic Ventilation Reduces Shingle Life 24%.
PRODUCT FEATURE
ShingleVent® II Ridge Vent: Proven Performance. Beautiful Appearance.
ShingleVent II four-foot plastic ridge vent is our flagship product for two reasons. It delivers proven performance while giving the roof curbside appeal .
Proven Performance: When the wind – as slight as a gentle breeze – hits the vent’s external wind baffle it directs airflow up and over the vent, creating an area of low pressure over the vent openings. This low pressure pulls air out of the attic, even when the wind is not 100% perpendicular to the vent. It’s called the Bernoulli Effect and it’s exactly what gives lift to an airplane. Check out the Bernoulli Effect in action: ShingleVent II Smoke House Video and ShingleVent II Smoke Candle Video.
Additionally the external wind baffle is the first line of defense to deflect rain and snow over the vent, protecting the roof and attic from weather infiltration. See it for yourself: ShingleVent II Water Infiltration Test.
Ridge vents like ShingleVent II are the only type of vents installed continuously along the peak of the roof to provide non-stop exhaust airflow for the attic. No other category can deliver that.
Curbside Appeal:
With its low-profile design and matching shingles installed on top, ShingleVent II blends in beautifully with the roof. The two house photos featured with this story showcase this courtesy of Edgar Arellano, Lifetime Roofing, North Salt Lake, UT.
Visit our website for ShingleVent II success stories and product specs: More information about ShingleVent II.
TOOLBOX
New website page helps with insurance claims
We bundled multiple resources on one page of our website to help roofing contractors and homeowners when working with insurance companies as part of a storm-damaged roof replacement claim. The goal is to provide enough information, so insurance agrees to pay to either bring the attic ventilation up to current code standards or improve it to a better system.
Here are just some of the many 3rd-party resources you’ll find pointing to the benefits of proper attic ventilation – which is a balanced system of both intake vents and exhaust vents:
✓ ARMA: The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (shingle manufacturers)
✓ APA: The Engineered Wood Association (plywood and OSB roof sheathing manufacturers)
✓ Building Code
There’s also the homeowner’s insurance policy and the full terms of the shingle warranty to double-check as well. Here’s the link to the page: Resources to Help with Insurance Claims.
Please listen to our podcast on the topic featuring our 1-on-1 interview with Kyle Pyatt, Gen 3 Roofing Corporation, Centennial, CO. Pyatt says 95% of the roofs Gen 3 works on are insurance claims. Listen to the podcast episode here: Getting Insurance to Pay for Attic Ventilation.
Q&A
Question: “Is there anything to be concerned about as far as adding a whole house fan after having a ridge vent installed?”
Answer: There is nothing to be concerned about when installing whole house fans after installing a ridge vent. Whole house fans work in harmony with the attic ventilation system, which ridge vents are part of. When the whole house fan is running it actually overpowers the attic ventilation system and turns every vent inside the attic into “exhaust outlets” – both the intake vents and the exhaust vents. For example, the rectangular undereave vents in the soffit and the ridge vent at the peak would all become “exhaust” for the running whole house fan. All of the vents are letting the air out of the attic that the whole house fan brings into the attic. In the illustration with this story, the attic exhaust vents shown are gable louvers. Other exhaust vent options include wind turbines, ridge vents and box vents. Make note that the intake vents are in play, too.
Whole house fans are used in climates where air conditioning is not needed to cool the house or in climates where you can give the air conditioner a break by opening the windows in early morning and evening hours. Whole house fans are installed in the ceiling of a central hallway in the house connected to the attic. Homeowners open windows in the house and turn on the whole house fan. The fan brings in the cooler outside air and circulates it throughout the house. The hot, stale air is pulled into the attic where it eventually exits through the attic intake and exhaust vents.
What you should please double check is that the attic is properly balanced with intake and exhaust vents for the size of the attic. That will all but guarantee that the whole house fan has enough “exhaust outlets.” Also, make sure the whole house fan has been sized correctly for the living space. You do not want a whole house fan struggling to find enough “exhaust outlets” because the attic ventilation is either incorrectly sized for the attic or the whole house fan itself is oversized for the living space.
Use this handy guide for your next project: Sizing & Selecting Whole House Fans
Have a question for Air Vent? Send it in: pscelsi@gibraltar1.com. You don’t have to wait until the next issue of this newsletter for your answer. We’ll answer your question immediately and we may even feature it on our Facebook page shortly after. Thanks for participating.
FOUND IN THE FIELD
Contractor: Shawn Bellis, Epic Exteriors, Overland Park, KS
The Issue: Bathroom Fan Ductwork Terminates into the Attic Dumping Excessive Moisture
Solution: Run the Ductwork Through the Roof to a Dedicated Bathroom Vent
In the photographs below the ductwork for the bathroom fans terminates inside the attic. This allows excessive moisture to dump directly into the attic where it can potentially condense in the colder months of the year. If it condenses, it could wet the attic insulation – reducing its effectiveness – wet the wood members inside the attic, and potentially the ceilings in the living space below. That could lead to mold, wood rot, and poor indoor air quality. The ductwork should go through the roof vertically or out to the side gable wall of the attic into a bath fan outlet vent designed with a damper.
Have a Field Find you want to share? We love photos from the field. They are a popular feature weekly on our Facebook page and in our Ask the Expert™ seminars. We’ll take your success stories, handy tips and mistakes to avoid please. Send them to Paul Scelsi pscelsi@gibraltar1.com. Thanks for sharing.
OUR VIRTUAL SEMINAR SEASON WAS A SUCCESS
Thank you to everyone who participated in our VIRTUAL Attic Ventilation: Ask the Expert seminars earlier this year. Year #23 of the program was a first in so many ways due to COVID-19.
We hosted 12 weekly sessions via Microsoft Teams from January into early April.
879 attendees joined us.
Feedback Form collections went 100% digital. We’ve already gathered your ideas!
We had chat boxes, mute buttons, hammocks and flashlights for the attendees!
Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for announcements about the 2022 season. Or sign up to be sent an email as soon as the schedule is available: Air Vent Seminar Email Notification. If you could not attend a seminar this year, visit us on campus at Air Vent University for 24/7 learning opportunities including access to a filmed in-person Air Vent seminar: Air Vent Seminar Video.
“It was absolutely the best webinar I have ever attended. Real value that can be used by all in the residential roofing marketplace.”
– 2021 Air Vent Seminar attendee Max Bumgardner, Sutton’s, Springfield, IL
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
FREE giveaway in exchange for your story
We’re always looking for success stories to share with the roofing industry. If we use your story, we have a FREE giveaway as a “thank you.” It’s a sweet deal. You’ll get free publicity, a free giveaway and the good feeling knowing you are helping us further educate the roofing industry and homeowners. Here are examples of what we’re looking for:
If you recently solved a particularly challenging attic ventilation project, tell us how.
If you worked on a roof that had a pre-existing attic ventilation mistake, tell us your fix.
If you successfully helped an objecting homeowner understand why proper attic ventilation is needed, tell us the details.
It doesn’t need to be long story. A few photos and a handful of sentences summarizing things will do the trick. Send everything to Paul Scelsi pscelsi@gibraltar1.com. Thank you!
IN THE NEWS …
Roofing professionals across North America helped Air Vent write helpful articles sharing best practices, solutions, and mistakes to avoid. Here are the most recent that appeared in industry publications. THANK YOU!
Invest in Yourself & Your Business Article Overcoming Homeowner Price Pushback Article
Avoiding Moisture Problems in the Winter Article Fight Ice Dams Before They Start Article
NEW FROM AIR VENT: RIDGEHAWK™ MESH ROLLED RIDGE VENT
A game changer for this category of ridge vent
Roofing contractors, builders and remodelers who currently install standard mesh rolled ridge vents will notice RidgeHawk’s differences immediately – Air Vent’s new ridge vent. The highlights:
Double-density edges provide exceptional holding power. This will help reduce compression and dimpling during installation including holding up to nail gun forces. Say goodbye to wavy installs.
Breathable fabric helps prevent weather, dust, and bug infiltration – similar time-tested results with our flagship ShingleVent® II ridge vent’s weather filter.
Netted nylon structure provides more open area for unobstructed airflow. It won’t stretch or compress the vent openings that often causes airflow reduction.
RidgeHawk’s specs:
11 inches wide
20-foot roll with nails included
15 sq. in. Net Free Area airflow per linear foot
Provides exhaust ventilation on horizontal ridges and diagonal hips
Suitable for roof pitches 3/12 to 18/12 (our steepest pitch ever)
Limited lifetime warranty
Call Customer Service 1-800-AIR-VENT for pricing and availability. For more info: RidgeHawk.
Upgrade to an Externally Baffled Ridge Vent
If you want to use the power of the wind for increased exhaust airflow and weather protection, try our externally baffled ridge vents with internal weather filters: ShingleVent II (4-foot rigid vent) and Peak Performer II (28-foot rolled rigid vent). For more information: ShingleVent II; Peak Performer II
NEW FROM AIR VENT: ADJUSTABLE TYPE B GAS VENT CAP
Three sizes for pipes 3 to 9 inches
Replacing a roof is the perfect time to evaluate the attic ventilation and the gas vent caps. Air Vent now has “Type B” gas vent caps in three different sizes to fit pipes from 3 to 9 inches. Each one is adjustable within its size range: 3-5 inches, 5-7 inches, and 7-9 inches.
For LP and gas-fired appliances. Our vent caps are exclusively for liquid propane and gas-fired appliances. They’re not for wood-burning appliances.
Designed for protection. Our unique design helps prevent Mother Nature, debris, and birds from entering the vent.
Heavy-duty for durability. Aluminum construction resists rust and corrosion.
Quick, simple installation. Our vent caps are fast and easy to install; you only need a wrench and screwdriver.
Vent caps are packaged 12 in a carton. They are ETL certified. For pricing, warranty, and availability call 1-800-AIR-VENT. Visit our website for the product information sheet Vent Cap Page on Website.
NEW PODCAST EPISODES, LESSON PLANS AND POP QUIZZES FROM AIR VENT
We add content every month on campus at Air Vent University
Every month we release a new Lesson Plan , a fun 5-Question Pop Quiz (You could win a FREE giveaway!) and a Podcast episode featuring an interview with a roofing professional. Please take advantage of these educational opportunities available 24/7. Below is the index of our podcast episodes. You can listen to them here: Air Vent Podcast Episodes. If you want to be a guest on the show, email host Paul Scelsi: pscelsi@gibraltar1.com.
CONTACT US
There are plenty of ways to keep in touch. We hope you will.
- 1-800-AIR-VENT (247-8368); ventilation@gibraltar1.com (Customer Service/Tech Support)
- www.airvent.com (There’s a wealth of valuable resources awaiting you)
- www.facebook.com/AirVentInc (You could win a FREE giveaway!)
- www.twitter.com/AirVentInc (Follow us)
- www.linkedin.com/AirVentInc (Follow us)
- Paul Scelsi, Attic Ventilation: Ask the Expert seminar leader: pscelsi@gibraltar1.com (Tell us what other information and resources do you need?)
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Air Vent Inc 4117 Pinnacle Point Drive, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75211