Roof Ventilation for Coastal Homes Woodbridge VA

Roof Ventilation for Coastal Homes

Faced with driving rain that leaks through attic vents, plus uncompromising codes, a Rhode Island builder relies on his ingenuity

by Mike Guertin



In the days after a nor'easter or tropical storm hits coast, I invariably receive a flurry of calls to investigate "leaking roofs." Most of those "leaks" are the result of wind-driven rain entering the vents high on the roof — typically through the ridge vent and gable-end vents, though occasionally through the soffit vents as well.

In my efforts to reduce these callbacks, I've tried a variety of products, like low-profile or baffled ridge vents and aggressive louvered gable vents, but none of these consistently keep out moisture. A product that may resist water penetration on one house inevitably leaks on another. This may be due to differences in roof pitch or in the angle of the roof to the storm's force. I haven't always been able to determine the exact cause, and I've yet to find a foolproof, one-size-fits-all solution. However, in the last eight years of working on this problem, I've come up with some workable strategies, while also dancing across the lines between what building codes and shingle manufacturers want and what actually works.

Navigating Codes and Warranties
Since most of the storm-driven water intrusion I've seen has come through the holes we purposely put in roofs (gable, ridge, and roof vents), I avoid them whenever possible.

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