Are ridge vents worth it?
Short answer. A ridge vent is usually worth it, especially during a roof replacement, when the added cost is small because the old ridge caps are coming off anyway. As a stand-alone retrofit it is worth it when the attic already has soffit intake and shows heat or moisture problems; it is not worth it on a roof with no way to add intake.
When it clearly pays off
- During a reroof. The crew is already removing and replacing the ridge cap, so cutting the slot and installing the vent adds modest material and labor to a job you are paying for anyway.
- Attics with good soffits but weak exhaust. Adding ridge exhaust lets existing intake do its job.
- Homes with moisture symptoms. Mildew on the decking, rusty nail tips, or damp insulation are signs that better airflow could protect the decking.
- Replacing leaky box vents. Swapping a row of cracked plastic vents for a ridge vent removes several leak points at once.
When it may not be worth it
- There is no soffit overhang or practical way to add intake. A ridge vent without intake moves little air.
- The house has a hip roof with only a few feet of ridge.
- The roof has just a few years left, and you are better off planning the vent into the replacement.
- The attic is being converted to a sealed spray foam assembly.
What you actually get for the money
The main return is a longer lasting roof system: a cooler, drier attic slows the heat aging that Georgia summers put on shingles and helps keep the decking sound. Energy savings in the living space are usually modest when the ceiling is well insulated, so do not buy a ridge vent expecting a dramatically lower power bill. See attic heat and shingles and heat, humidity, and roof life.