# Are whirlybirds better than standard roof vents?



## Medman (Sep 24, 2009)

I'm hoping that you have an answer for this...

I need to put in roof vents on my woodshed and garage.  I have been looking at several styles of vent and want to know if the turbine style whirlybirds are better at pulling hot air out than the other types of vent.  

Any thoughts?


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## Medman (Sep 25, 2009)

Thanks for the link.  I think I will look at one of the Maximum units - they look effective an have no moving parts.


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## TreePapa (Oct 7, 2009)

We have three turbine vents on our apprx. 2000 sq ft Calif. ranch house, plus 1 on the garage and 2 on the 450 sq. ft. guest house. They do work weather or not the wind is blowing, 'tho I've actually had one blow off in a high wind 'cuz it was off balance.

When we first started using the FP, we had a lot of problems with backdrafting and smoke in the house. We tried small hot fires in the back of the FP, warming up the flue before lighting a fire, etc. etc. The only thing that worked was keeping a window open for extra air for the fire.

Then I read about the "stack effect" and about the house being a better chimney than my chimney. Most of what I read pointed at furnaces, stoves, water heaters, etc. as the culprit, all using indoor air for combustion and exausting the air through their respective vents. But even w/ all of these shut down, I still had the problem. Then I read somewhere that attic vents could contribute to this problem, so I covered the vents on the main house and "presto" ... the smoke from a properly built fire goes out the chimney not into the room! It's still a FP, not an efficient stove or insert, and we still have be careful about how we build the fire (mostly, keep it to the back of the FP), but a proper fire w/ dry wood, w/ the vents covered, and no smoking in the house. So now, every year, before we light the first fire in the fireplace, I go up on the roof and cover the vents w/ heavy trash liners (cut down) (I could get vent covers, but they're $20 each!).

Eventually, I'll have to replace the tubine vents w/ powered vents, and install an override swith so I can just turn off the vents rather than having to cover them up. Of course, eventually I also want a real EPAII stove (even w/ an EPAII stove, I would still cover or turn off the attic vents).

Peace,
- Sequoia


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## treehackers (Oct 8, 2009)

I installed a 12" roof vent turbine style with no moving parts. Did it 2 weeks ago so no opinion yet.

http://www.bestmaterials.com/detail.aspx?ID=15190


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## Bone1099 (Oct 27, 2009)

Pretty sure those whirly birds are intended to vent the attic not your living space.  If you check for and correct any aparent leaks from your living space to your attic this may help your problem.  Check for loose or improperly fitting attic access doors attic fan louvers not properly closing and spray foam around light fixtures if you have 1/4 inch gap around 10-15 light fixtures that adds up to a pretty big hole.


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## Gooserider (Oct 27, 2009)

Bone1099 said:
			
		

> Pretty sure those whirly birds are intended to vent the attic not your living space.  If you check for and correct any aparent leaks from your living space to your attic this may help your problem.  Check for loose or improperly fitting attic access doors attic fan louvers not properly closing and spray foam around light fixtures if you have 1/4 inch gap around 10-15 light fixtures that adds up to a pretty big hole.



Be careful spray foaming around fixtures...  Sealing them up is a good idea, but many fixtures, especially recessed ones, are NOT rated for insulation contact, and putting sealing materials around / over them can result in a possible fire hazard...  There are ways to deal with them, but they are a little trickier.  My recollection is that you are supposed to box around them on the attic side and seal the box, which can then be covered w/ insulation, etc...  There is a minimum clearance and material requirement on the boxing, but I forget the details (don't have the need in our house)  I'm sure searching here or on some of the energy improvement sites will find more info pretty easily.

Gooserider


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## d.n.f. (Oct 27, 2009)

I like solar vents.  Use mostly whirlybird or straight vents or roof-peak vents whatever.  But install a solar fan vent for when it is stinking hot with no wind.  Fan spins at huge rpm and pulls lots of heat out of the space.
They are pretty cheap (under 150 bucks) these days and come with a solar panel that you can mount a distance away.  Or you can get a straight solar vent with the panel on the vent.


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