# Ridge Vents with weather membranes?



## eelpout (Jul 9, 2013)

Hey,

So our roofer installed a baffle type ridge vent (Owens Corning VentSure Heat & Moisture) 










It seems OK, but it's got this weird membrane, Tyvek like material across the opening. It looks like it's part of the product. Here is a pic of someone else's install from the attic, but mine looks the same:


















The Air Vent ShingleVent II has something like it too, but the VentSure appears to be much denser.











From the OC literature it appears to be there to help prevent rain and such getting in. I read somewhere this filter is mostly about snow. Seems strange to install in California if you're not in the Sierras. 

Am I not mistaken or do these pieces of material actually block airflow some and prevent benefit from increased wind speeds helping the venting?


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Take a look at the two materials and use your common sense. In my opinion, the vent sure by OC will be blocked solid with pollen and atmospheric dirt in about 5 months. The problem with most products put on the market is that the designers never actually tore off a roof, and have no idea how much dirt becomes airborne from pollen, cutting the lawn, the wind, and air pollution. The Shingle-Vent II is obviously designed by someone with a better feel for real life conditions.


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## ken123 (Feb 22, 2010)

The cut is nice and clean. I just had a roofer installed Snow Country and cut on my ridge is far less clean.


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## eelpout (Jul 9, 2013)

jagans said:


> Take a look at the two materials and use your common sense. In my opinion, the vent sure by OC will be blocked solid with pollen and atmospheric dirt in about 5 months. The problem with most products put on the market is that the designers never actually tore off a roof, and have no idea how much dirt becomes airborne from pollen, cutting the lawn, the wind, and air pollution. The Shingle-Vent II is obviously designed by someone with a better feel for real life conditions.


Well, the Lomanco "smoke house" video certainly has me believing that filtered vents in general aren't very efficient. But then there is that trade off for airborne particles you mention that the Omni Ridge doesn't really address. The problem with filtered systems in general is they are designed to catch stuff but not made to change out the dirty fabric without ripping them off. 

I plan on running some simple smoke tests of my own to see how well the VentSure H&M works in my situation.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

It will be fine. That type filter is to keep out bugs.


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