# new roof turbine not spinning



## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

I've worked on some of those things in the past. They make them real cheap nowadays, imagine that. There is a plastic bushing/bearing the turbine spins on. Sometimes it gets jammed up or broken. I"ve taken them apart and applied a decent enough lube so that it spins again. Not saying this is your situation but it's worth looking into.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Are there soffit vents? No vents then there not going to work.
If there are soffit vents are you 100% sure there not plugged up with insulation?
You did cut a hole in the roof under it, right?


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Sorry but this is funny!!! No air in= no air out!!


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

The turbine depends upon air rising. Air has to be able to come in from the low edge of the roof, the soffit. This means there have to be vents down along under the soffit edge. That and the insulation in the attic needs to be clear of the path the air would take up from those soffit vents. 

It's not uncommon for insulation to have been jammed tight out to the edge of the roof. This is a bad thing, because it blocks the air flow. They sell foam channels you can staple to the underside of the room to allow for airflow while still allowing insulation to be installed. But you still have to keep the space between them and the soffit vents clear.

Yes, this is pain in the ass to check and fix. Mind your head, roofing nails sticking through the sheathing are hard on your scalp.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

The new turbine needs hot air to flow out to turn the impellers. The hot air is exiting the roof through the louvers at each end of the roof as they were designed to do. You may have to replace the turbine with an electric fan type of ventilator.


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## portbarton (Jul 12, 2014)

try wd-40


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

portbarton said:


> try wd-40


Why? It'd be the *wrong *lubricant to use in a hot roof situation. That and applying the wrong lubricants in a dusty environment would likely end up causing more harm than good to it.


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## AndyGump (Sep 26, 2010)

Perhaps it is not spinning because it was not needed in the first place.

Your original venting system may be acting as it was intended to.

I have never really understood the need for these things on a residence. Some commercial/industrial applications I understand. 


Andy.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

In the house I built, i had Venta-ridge and continuous soffit vents. However, during hot day of the summer the attic was getting over 140º. I placed one of the turbines into the upper part of the roof and it lowered the temperature almost 40º. It made a big difference in cooling the house.


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## darcycook (Jun 6, 2016)

landfillwizard said:


> In the house I built, i had Venta-ridge and continuous soffit vents. However, during hot day of the summer the attic was getting over 140º. I placed one of the turbines into the upper part of the roof and it lowered the temperature almost 40º. It made a big difference in cooling the house.


question did you leve in the venta- rige vent ? with the turbine?


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## darcycook (Jun 6, 2016)

new to this so did you leve in the ridge vent ? with the turbine. i all so have ridge vents but was thinking add the wind turbine , i have lots of soffit vents. thanks


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I don't remember him being on for awhile. Start a new tread with your question and you will get some answers.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

I', sorry for not getting back but life has been very busy and I forgot about this post. Yes I left the vent-a-ridge and soffit vents in. This give make up air exchange to let the air rise up into the turbine. With the makeup air the turbine will turn even if the wind is not blowing.


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## darcycook (Jun 6, 2016)

thanks ,now i have a two story brick building with 2,800 sq. ft. ok i am 3 14in. wind turbines put in at the pick with a saddle base to fit the 5/12 roof pitch. this is a brand new metal roof very expensive. there is noway to have soffits vents, i ether have to put 5-6 12-14 in, holes at ,ower end for intake . wich im not a fan of . or put in a gable vent at one end large enough 24in x 48in thake to brick amson can be done. NOE THE QUESTION WILL THE GABLE VENT WORK FOR THE INTAKE I NEED ? so i dont have to put holes in my metal roof


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## darcycook (Jun 6, 2016)

the first question was for my home witch has soffits, this is for my business building


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## VentMent (Dec 31, 2020)

landfillwizard said:


> You may have to replace the turbine with an electric fan type of ventilator.


No. All he has to do is cover the insides of the louvers. Then the airflow will go from the soffits to the turbine vent. Problem solved.


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## VentMent (Dec 31, 2020)

landfillwizard said:


> Yes I left the vent-a-ridge and soffit vents in. This give make up air exchange to let the air rise up into the turbine. With the makeup air the turbine will turn even if the wind is not blowing.


I’m a bit confused. Are you saying that the ridge vent helps air go up through the turbine vent? I would think the turbine vent would spin more if the turbine vent was the ONLY outtake vent- because ALL the heat is forced to rise through the turbine vent?


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I thought the idea was to have the wind turn the turbine and then it would suck air out of the attic. It doesn’t make sense to have one that turns because attic air is pushing it. That puts resistance in the flow of air that would otherwise exit from a vent without a turbine.


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## FrankWC (Nov 19, 2020)

Right, they are wind driven!


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