• Save money and live healthier by making sure your roof and attic are ventilated properly. Heat from a poorly ventilated roof leads to premature failure of asphalt roof shingles and promotes moisture buildup and the growth of mold and mildew. Roof vents allow hot attic air to vent to the outside and keep roof sheathing and the attic cooler in the summer to promote longer roof life and lower energy costs.
  
  

Roof Ridge Vents

• Roof ridge vents, as the name implies, install at the peak of the roof and allow hot air to rise and escape out the top of the roof. Install roof ridge vents with a new roof, or add to an existing roof to keep roof sheathing cool and promote a long life for asphalt shingles.
  
  

Turbine Vents

• Turbine roof vents are dome-shaped vents with slots designed to catch the wind and spin the vent to pull hot air out of the attic. Wind provides free power to turn the turbine and vent the roof, but without wind they provide little ventilation and are not allowed in some areas, especially those that are hurricane prone. You must cover turbine vents in the winter, and and they may allow rain to enter the attic.
  
  

Pot Vents

• Pot vents mount over a hole in the roof and resemble an upside-down pot, hence the name pot vent. They require no energy to operate and are useful on roofs with very little roof ridge for a roof ridge vent.
  
  

Solar-Powered Vents

• Solar-powered vents resemble pot vents, and use a solar-powered motor to turn a fan and vent hot air from the attic. They promote airflow to vent heat on calm days when airflow through the attic is minimal.
  
  

Soffit Vents

• Soffit vents mount in the soffit of the roof and act as inlets and outlets for air, making them one of the best choices for roof ventilation. These may install as small vents spaced the length of the soffit or as one continuous vent. Use soffit vents with a baffle to prevent them from directing air into the insulation and degrading its efficiency.
  
  

Power Ventilators

• Power ventilators mount in the gable vents and use an electric fan to pull air from the attic. Although these fans are fairly common in older homes, according to Habitat for Humanity, they cause more problems than they're worth. Power ventilators generate a negative pressure inside the attic, causing heat or cool air from inside the house to escape through ceiling leaks. They can also pull mold and mildew spores, radon gas and even sewage gases into the house.