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Cooler air is drawn in from the
soffit vents and warm attic air is vented out the top of the roof via the
ridge vent.
Installing a ridge vent is a
relatively easy project. To begin with measure the length of your garage
roof ridge and go out and purchase the appropriate length of plastic ridge
vent. Plastic ridge vent typically comes in 4 foot lengths.
Next remove the shingles that
form the ridge cap on the garage roof.
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Photo by Mark Donovan |
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After removing the ridge cap shingles, lay two lengths of plastic ridge vent
along the peak of the roof, approximately 6 inches in from either end of the
roof. Make a mark on the roof shingles on each side of the ridge vent. Do
this on both ends of the roof peak. Next, snap chalk lines between the
far end marks on each side of the roof peak. The chalk lines will act as guide
marks for installing the ridge vent. Without chalk lines it is very easy to have
the ridge vent wander along the roof ridge when installing it, thus creating a
less than professional roofing look. |
Next, you need to create an air gap
on the top of the garage roof ridge to let attic air escape. To do this snap
another pair of chalk lines on either side of the roof peak, approximately 1
inch down from the roof peak. Then use a circular skill saw to cut along these
two chalk lines. Make sure, however, to set the saw blade depth to no deeper
than the thickness of the roof sheathing. Roof sheathing is typically ½” to 5/8”
thick. Also make sure that the ridge vent does not extend any closer than 6
inches from either end of the roof peak edge. After you have made the cuts
remove the strips of roof sheathing to expose the air gap.
Once you have created the air gap on
the garage roof peak you can begin to install the plastic ridge vent. Start at
one end of the newly created roof peak opening and begin fastening the plastic
ridge vent to the garage roof peak. Use the remaining chalk lines as guides for
positioning the plastic ridge cap. When installing the first piece allow the
plastic ridge vent to extend beyond the gap opening by approximately 1 inch.
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Fasten the plastic ridge cap to the
roof using the appropriate nails recommended by the ridge cap manufacturer. Also
make sure that the nails are fastened into the roof trusses or rafters, and not
just the roof sheathing.
Continue to install additional
lengths of plastic ridge vent along the garage roof peak gap, leaving
approximately 1/8” spacing between adjoining pieces. The spacing between
adjacent sections is necessary for expansion of the ridge vent. When installing
the last section of ridge vent, again have it extend approximately 1” beyond the
end of the gap.
Next install ridge cap shingles over
the plastic ridge vent. You can create ridge cap shingles by cutting 3-tab
shingles into thirds or you can purchase special ridge cap shingles. The ridge
cap shingles are nailed to the plastic ridge cap, with each adjacent shingle cap
covering the nails of the previous installed shingle cap. Use roofing nails that
extend at least one inch into the plastic ridge cap. On the final shingle cap
seal the exposed nails with either roofing tar or other appropriate roof sealer.
Once the ridge cap shingles have been
installed your garage attic area should be cooler and the life of your garage
shingles extended.
For more help on Shingling Your Home's Roof, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet.
The
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet
will
help to ensure
that
your roof won't end up with a blue tarp over it and a dumpster sitting in your
yard for weeks
as you wait for the roofing contractor to come back and finish roofing your
home.
How to Finance your Roof Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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