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What should the homeowner expect to get for his or her money in the way of a ridge vent for their new lifetime metal roof? Over the years I have seen scores of metal roofs installed. Today many homeowners have opted for the more traditional look of the shingle type of metal roofing. Is the typical ridge vent material used for asphalt shingle roofing the correct choice for metal shingles? Most of the ridge vents used with asphalt shingle installations are made of some type of polymer.

One of the most common is the mesh type that resembles a bird nest. The contractor will install this over the opening at the ridge, and then nail the shingles right over it; the bulk of the mesh is what provides the gap and opening for the air flow. The biggest problem with this type of vent is that it is way too restrictive. It does not allow for enough air flow to come through its woven mesh. The warranty on these products is very limited as well, certainly not as long as the lifetime of an aluminum lifetime roof.

There are other plastic vents out there that are being routinely used with these metal roofs. There is a low profile honey combed vent that lies on either side of the ridge with a built in baffle system. These are fairly common in the marketplace and again have a very limited warranty. When you consider the cost of a metal roof be sure that the vent you are getting is equal to the lifetime quality of the roof itself.