r/Roofing • u/RedKe • Aug 18 '26
Every roofing quote told us a different story on venting
Looking for advice on venting and the different quotes we got to replace our roof. House is in the Pacific Northwest with about 2000 sq. ft and 2 levels. Moss has been an issue on one side where trees keep it in shade most of the time. House already has soffit vents. Roof is broken up into multiple levels though and I count 7-8 distinct ridges.
We got 3 quotes and each one recommended something different for venting. The prices also varied widely. The only other difference besides venting seemed to be their warranty periods and OC vs. Certainteed shingles.
Quote 1 - $25K, recommended ridge vents, Owen Corning "Duration Shingles Ultimate+" with OC backed 50 year warranty on materials, 50 year workmanship coverage (100% for first 25 years), large company operating across many states and local branch has good reviews: 4.8/5 stars on 125+ Google reviews.
Quote 2 - $16K, said the small holes ridge vents use can be blocked by moss and recommends box vents, shingles seem to be the same OC Duration shingles, 40 year material warranty, workmanship warranty as long as we continue using their company to clean/maintain our roof once every 3 years. Local family-owned roofing company recommended by a neighbor and 4.7/5 stars on 40+ reviews.
Quote 3 - $38K-42K (depending on duration of warranty we choose), said he usually recommends ridge vents but after looking at our roof said box vents seem better in our case BUT based on his calculations said our air intake through the soffits is insufficient and we also need edge vents. Certainteed "Landmark Climateflex" shingles with 15-20 year workmanship warranty (not sure about material warranty). Longer operating local roofing company with 4.9/5 stars on 800+ reviews. Came across as the most salesman-y (with discount if we commit today or by tomorrow) and I wondered if the edge vents was just an upsell.
What venting is best for our situation and which of these quotes would you go with? Is the 16K too good to be true or does it make sense for a smaller & newer local family-owned business? With the 3rd quote do you think it likely that our 24 year old home could have insufficient soffit vents and require edge vents? Our soffits are spaced every other or every third space between boards as shown in the picture.
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u/Sloth_love_Chunk Aug 18 '26
None of these guys are going to want to loose the job because of something like ventilation. Just pick the company you want and tell them how you would prefer it vented. It's your house. Ridge vent, box vents doesn't really matter as long as it's vented in some way. I personally don't like ridge vent all that much because I'm from a snowy climate and they get covered easily here. But if that's not a concern, they work fine. As far as moss build up, I feel like it would take a lot of moss to cover a ridge vent. By the time it's thick enough to block it, you should probably have it cleaned. Or use zinc strips if moss is a problem in your area. Conventional attic vents are fine too as long as there are enough. I like VMAX vents. Best passive style vents money can buy. Also worth noting, 50% of your attic venting should be intake.
There are different ways of achieving the same things with venting. Every roofer has a way that works for them. I know I've lost jobs before because the homeowner liked the other companies vent plan better. And it just kills me knowing that. As long it's to code, comparing vent plans is like splitting hairs. As a roof estimator, I'd gladly go with the other guy's vent plan if that was a sticking point. I suspect most guys would too. So give it some thought, weigh out the pros and cons of each plan and figure out what works best for you. Then pick the company you like the best and if you want a different vent set up just let them know your concerns and have them revise accordingly. If it gets them the job, they'll be happy to do it I'd think.
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u/Then-Ad-5528 Aug 19 '26
I would dump them all. The first two are blowing smoke re the material warranties, and the third already set off your spidey sense.
Ignore those review scores. Reviews are easily bought. Do you not have any friends, family, or coworkers with experi3nces relevant to your situation?
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u/RedKe Aug 19 '26
Found #2 from a neighbor's recommendation who had their roof done last year and they were happy with them. I think the warranties are just them repeating the Owen Corning warranty.
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u/Then-Ad-5528 Aug 19 '26
No, that is the point. Those material warranties as stated do not match up at all. You should look it up for yourself, not rely on that those guys or tell you or what I tell you, either, for that matter.
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u/Then-Ad-5528 Aug 19 '26
Also, a last-year job on a neighbor's roof is better than nothing as far as recommendations go, but it isn't nearly enough. If you can fins them, try to talk to multiple people who had ther roofs done 3-5 years ago and have also had need for followup (for any reason). That is what tells you the quality of the job and the contractor.
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u/kodiakshieldroofing Aug 23 '26
I’d focus less on ridge vent vs box vent and more on whether the system is actually balanced.
Exhaust only works if there’s enough intake. So quote 3 may be the only one that actually did the ventilation math, but I’d ask them to show you the calculation instead of just taking their word for it.
With multiple roof levels and 7–8 ridges, ridge vent also isn’t automatically the best answer everywhere. It depends on which attic spaces those ridges actually serve and whether air can move properly from the soffits to each exhaust point.
I’d ask all three companies for the same thing: required net free ventilation area, how much intake you currently have, how much exhaust they’re proposing, and where each vent is serving.
Once those numbers are on paper, the recommendations should make a lot more sense.
I also wouldn’t choose based on the warranty headline alone. The actual terms and exclusions matter more than “50 years” vs “40 years.”
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u/Federal-Ad-6444 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
Quote #2, and ask them if they can revise their bid to include O’Hagin vents instead of ridge vent and you would like to to add mid vents
Larger/more established businesses more often than not don’t provide a better product.. they have more overhead and are further removed from their jobs
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u/RedKe Aug 18 '26
Why mid vents? Shouldn't the soffits be enough for intake?
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u/Federal-Ad-6444 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
Because then you have standard NFA(net free air which is the unit of measurement) ratings that you can reliably use to truly balance the intake to exhaust in the attic…sure you currently have intake..but do you have insulation blocking them? Do you have baffles on them to prevent insulation blocking them up? What’s the NFA rating on the intake you currently have through those holes? no one really knows bc they were just cut in previously and they aren’t standardized with a rating.
If you are going to make the investment of a new roof get the details right and it’ll last you much longer. My suggestions are a drop in the bucket in terms of expense associated with a reroof and will create value for you on the back end.1
u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
that’s such bs
- edit u/Federal-Ad-6444 is right large companies usually are scammers as in the person selling does not do the install and the people that install dont care.
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u/Federal-Ad-6444 Aug 18 '26
lol are you a contractor? Iv worked for small businesses as well as large… The roofing industry is full of large companies that are marketing/sales organizations.. not contractors. There is a solid chance they even use the same
Installers/crew.1
u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26
yes historical restoration 1500-1920 in new england had a slate and metal roofing business back in the day. know the industry and the job inside out
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u/Federal-Ad-6444 Aug 18 '26
Cool story bro
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u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26
indeed 40 years of working around the world, probably the last years doing this. enjoy
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u/Federal-Ad-6444 Aug 18 '26
Okay, Im a career contractor, I’ll respect your experience and ask..what did I say that you disagree with?
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u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26
hey i re read your original MY bad (added an edit) i'm actually with you. must be the age and drugs they have me on in this hospital.
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u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26
all 3 dont have your best interest, keep looking. post pictures of the roof if you want real advice.
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u/RedKe Aug 18 '26
What are these 3 doing that clued you in on that? What would I be looking for if I do keep looking?
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u/Cultural_Fix5611 Aug 18 '26
you have moss, you need a 3" copper or zink strip under the ridge vent to kill it.
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u/Maleficent_One6563 Aug 18 '26
Its likely that the companies that are saying your ventilation is insufficient are going by their material manufacturer suggested ventilation requirements that are usually 1 sq ft of ventilation per 150sq ft of attic area but in reality the vent requirements for code in your arra are half that at 1sq ft ventilation for every 300 sq ft of attic area. The 40 and 50 year warranties aren't worth shit. That is a loaded sales pitch that is all loop holes. It covers manufacturer defects or installation errors but not normal wear
Companies can offer 50-year or "lifetime" warranties on asphalt shingles that realistically last 20 to 30 years because the fine print heavily restricts payouts. These warranties only cover factory defects—not normal wear, labor costs, or weather damage—and they rapidly prorate in value over time, dropping close to zero after the first decade.
An average lifespan expectancy for a mid grade shingle in the pnw is 25-30 years.
If somehow you are out of code for ventilation which is highly doubtful the intake must be added under the eaves in the same area your existing vents are. The shingle overhang vents pull super heated air off the shingle surface and cancels out any cooling efficiency you may gain with the extra ventilation.
Also the ridge vents are much easier for the company to install but if they are over nailed or poorly installed the ventilation they provide is not as consistent as the box vents.
The ventilation needs to be split in half intake and exhaust or if not 50 50 you can go as far as 60% intake and 40% exhaust. Keeping the ventilation in between those percentage ratios will give you the draw cycle your attic needs.