Ventilated ridge roof - the device and installation
Modern roof structures are a complex system in which elements work effectively, only closely interacting and complementing each other. When creating a roofing project made of soft tile, corrugated metal or metal, much needs to be taken into account: to protect the insulation from getting wet, to prevent rotting of the rafter and premature wear of the coating. Special attention deserve the "warm" roof, devoid of insulating air gap. In order for the microclimate in such houses to be suitable for life, it is necessary to establish air circulation between the under-roof space and the atmosphere. To do this, install a ventilated ridge on pitched roofs, the installation of which is a prerequisite for organizing the forced ventilation of the roof.
Design
Ventilated ridge - a device installed on pitched roofs to organize forced ventilation of the roof. It is a simple device made of plastic, installed along the ridge of the roof of soft tiles, corrugated board or metal tiles. The ventilated ridge profile has the following functions:
- Reliably seals the ridge joint of pitched roofs to prevent leakage through it. The triangular shape of the ridge makes it difficult to seal this weak point of the roof of corrugated board and profiled sheet through which melt and rain water can leak.
- Gives access for air. The ventilation gap, which is formed when installing the ridge of such a design, opens the path to the outside heated air, which creates a kind of craving and causes air to circulate inside the house.
- Closes the ventilation gap from the penetration of insects and snow sweeping. The device is designed in such a way that water cannot flow into it, snow or insects fly into it.
- Allows evaporation of excess moisture. Moisture-saturated vapors are the product of human activity. They, together with the air rise up, cool and condense on the elements of the rafter frame. Thermal insulation layer of the roof of corrugated, soft tiles or metal due to wetting loses most of the heat-saving properties, and the wood of the frame rots and becomes moldy. Installing a ventilated skate solves this problem by opening the air to oxygen and allowing excess vagi to evaporate.
Note! The installation of the ridge with ventilation holes is part of the arrangement of the forced ventilation system of the roof of soft tile, corrugated board or metal tile. In order for the ventilation to work, they install in the eaves the airways, places for the intake of fresh air from the atmosphere.
The installation of the ventilated ridge does not spoil the appearance of the roof; with a quality installation, this element of the ventilation system cannot be seen. To make the installation site look more aesthetic, a strip of soft tile or a metal profile is fixed on top of it, which protects the aerator from exposure to sunlight and penetration of atmospheric moisture.
Principle of action
In the old days, builders did not even think about installing a ventilated skate, since the air naturally circulated through gaps or gaps in building materials and structures. The device of a modern roof of metal tile or corrugated board requires almost complete tightness, installation is carried out in the form of a kind of "cake", in which there is a layer of insulation, waterproofing and vapor barrier. This design does not leave a single crack in the air, and because of that a stuffy, humid microclimate is established inside the house. To solve this problem, it is necessary at the project approval stage to develop high-quality ventilation. Depending on the type of roof there are 2 options for ventilation systems:
- Natural. Natural-type ventilation is equipped for houses with “cold” roofs, in which the attic is not heated. With this design, dormer windows are made in the roof slope, which are necessary for air circulation. In this case, an unheated attic performs the function of an “air cushion”, isolating heated rooms from a cold roof. Installation of the ridge with ventilation holes is performed under such circumstances extremely rarely.
- Forced Forced ventilation works on the principle of convection, which states that heated air always rises. Roofs with heated attic made of metal, corrugated sheet and roll materials are equipped with a ridge aerator, as well as curtain rails, to force air masses to circulate between the room and the atmosphere. The air flow penetrates the roofing structure through the airways, heats and rises to the ceiling, leaving through the ventilated ridge and freeing up space for fresh air.
Important! Forced ventilation was developed based on the physical properties of the gas. For its operation, no power sources are needed, since the thrust is created according to the law of convection: warm air rises, and cold air goes down. In order to maximize the efficiency of the ventilation system, its elements are placed evenly over the entire roof area of corrugated steel, metal tiles or rolled materials.
Types of aerators
The device of the ventilation system depends on the area of the slopes, the nature of the use of the roofing room and the roofing material used. Installation of ventilation for "warm" mansard roofs is more complicated and more expensive than for cold ones. In order to determine the optimal composition and mutual arrangement of elements, installation is carried out based on the determination of the volume of air in the attic. For the equipment of the ventilated ridge aerators of the following types are used:
- Continuous aerators that are installed along the entire ridge. They are a plastic corner, at the ends of which are made ventilation gaps, or corrugated ventilation tape. Continuous-type aerators are considered more efficient because they discourage uniform air circulation. More often they are not installed on metal roofing and corrugated roofs, but on structures with bitumen-based roll coatings, since they require more active ventilation.
- Point aerators. Dot aerators are small tubes on a triangular base, which are installed on the ridge of metal roofing tiles and profiled sheets with a step of 1-1.5 m. Installation of ventilated ridge profiles of this type is carried out if the roof has a small area or is of a cold type, as have low efficiency.
Note! The easiest and most inexpensive way to equip a ventilated ridge is to use a corrugated ventilation tape. It is sold in rolls, and on the underside of the tape is a self-adhesive layer with a protective film. To perform the installation, you need to remove the protective film, glue the tape on both sides of the ridge, and then install a ridge of metal.
Functions
For a non-professional master, skate ventilation may seem like an unnecessary overkill and additional costs, but experienced roofers know that this simple measure increases the lifespan of the rafter and roof covering. Properly designed and assembled ventilation system performs the following tasks:
- Optimizes the microclimate in the living room. Due to the constant inflow of air, saturated with oxygen, the house is always fresh, not stuffy, comfortable temperature conditions are maintained.
- Increases the life of the roof covering. The ventilated ridge profile prevents the swelling of roll materials based on bitumen from the action of solar radiation, allowing them to evaporate with excess moisture, which favorably affects the lifespan of metal roofing and corrugated roofing.
- Keeps a healthy state of a rafter framework and an obreshetka. Thanks to the aerator, excess moisture evaporates, and the wood of the roof frame does not suffer from rot, mildew and fungus.
- Does not allow wet insulation. Due to the constant air circulation, the insulation is ventilated and remains dry, which keeps the thermal insulation quality of the material at a high level.
- Makes the use of materials based on bitumen more secure. Air circulation through the aerators eliminates the possibility of penetration of bituminous vapors, which are considered harmful to human health, indoors.
Note! Dormer windows installed in the organization of natural ventilation, located half the height of the slope, because of what stagnant zones are formed under the very ridge, where air does not circulate at all. When installing forced ventilation, this problem does not arise, since aerators install directly on the ridge joint, which is the highest point of the roof.