Vents for Metal Buildings
It's particularly important to ensure that there is adequate ventilation and air-flow throughout your metal building. This helps keep the building cool in summer but there are other reasons for vents as well which we'll discuss below before going over the types of vents available.
Why Have Roof Vents?
Roof vents are essential for two main reasons. First, they allow hot air to escape from the building during the summer months. This helps to keep the metal building and its contents cooler. This also acts to prevent the formation of condensation on the roof.
Secondly, roof vents help circulate fresh air throughout the building. This is particularly critical during the winter months. Further, vents prevent mold and mildew from forming, as there is little to no chance of moisture or condensation accumulation. Also these vents act in the management of heat loss, and temperature integrity.
Types of Roof Vents
The Ridge Vent
Ridge Vents are a metal building component that's installed along the roof's ridgeline, the topmost point along your roof. In this position, these vents while allowing hot or stale air to escape from the building need to be correctly installed. It may be best to employ a metal building expert, lest they begin leaking water when it rains.
The ridge vent does not take up alot of room, they blend in well and there are no moving parts due to any motors. This is a relatively small form factor while fitting onto the apex provides for good visual appeal. There are no hoods nor additional attachments which stick out nor that are attached to the roof. The ridge vent needs minimal maintenance.
Louver Vents
These vents are installed in the gable ends of the roof. This is also a popular option as the louvers tend to be adjustable. The blades of the vent can be angled whether up or down to preference at any point in time. This angling allows an adjustment in how much light and air can enter or exit the building.
These are also quite attractive, and inexpensive while being versatile. For example when the louvers are opened all the way to maximum, they let in quite a lot of light and air. When closed, the louvers overlap each panel and provide sealed protection against water, debris and any wind gusts.
These louvers can be mechanized as they are situated in the gable ends of the roof and therefore the angle of opening can be controlled by a button.
The Gravity Vent
The gravity vents, tend to be installed in those areas of the roof where there is a known breeze. Based on this position the natural ventilation can enter the building and act to eliminate any odors or stagnant air.
Turbine Vents
These types of vents usually made out of aluminum metal act to pull air up and expel through the roof as the blades spin. As they spin in the wind with the relative breeze, they are a non-electric means of active ventilation. These are passive exhaust vents on windless days. The number of turbine vents tend to follow the rule of thumb of one vent for every 300 square feet of roof. With a constant wind speed of about 5 miles per hour, a small 12-inch diameter turbine vent can extract about 347 cubic feet of air per minute.
The beauty of the turbine vents is that they start to spin with the slightest breeze and act to vacuum out any air, expelling it to the outside. These vents should not be insulated. Doing so can cause a likely build-up of moisture and lead to fungi and molds. If anything, the general area around the building’s roof can be insulated.
Whether it is winter or summer, the hot air will rise and it will bring with it some water vapor. That vapor needs to be extracted by the turbine vent.
Proper ventilation is essential to the environment within a Metal building.
Benefits Of Metal Building Roof Vents
Lowers Indoor Pollution
Human beings spend 90$ of their time indoors every day, including the number of hours we spend in vehicles. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) findings depending on your location, the indoor air quality can be five times worse than the outside air.
EPA indicates that recently the concentration of indoor air pollutants has increased due to various factors, including high use of synthetic construction materials, personal care products, furnishings, household cleaners, and pesticides. Also, energy-efficient construction lacks enough mechanical ventilation to allow air circulation.
Metal building roof vents allow air to circulate as the wind blows over your roof naturally. An exchanger pulls out the interior air that might contain pollutants.
Important Balance
The air temperature on the roof will always be higher, mainly during the summer months, because warm air rises. A ridge vent will allow warmer air to escape and cause natural airflow.
During cold months the vent design prevents the warmer air from escaping via pressure exerted by cold air from outside. Metal building roof vents are pretty helpful in areas with high humidity—the system assists in eliminating the condition that's that forms mildew and mold. In addition, roof vents prevent the problem of condensation from forming on the windows, especially during cold seasons.
Keep Away Unwanted Guest
Current roof vent designs provide excellent airflow without attracting squirrels, rats, and other rodents to your metal building. Previously, roof vents required the installation of a screen or trap that hindered efficient airflow.
Metal building roof vents play a significant role in airflow circulation in the building. As clean air enters via the roof vent to the lower parts of the building, steady air circulation is created. This then allows elimination via the metal roofing ridge vent system.
Roof vents play a vital role in ventilation, so they should be carefully selected to ensure that the building offers ideal comfort to the residents. We hope this article has helped you understand why roof vents are crucial in Metal buildings. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.