"Curious if anyone else has experience with roof ventilation upgrades...worth the extra cost in your opinion?"
Definitely worth it from my experience. When we redid ours, I initially thought the contractor was upselling me on ridge vents and better soffit vents, but honestly, it made a noticeable difference. The attic went from feeling like a sauna to actually bearable in summer. Plus, fewer ice dams in winter. Not saying it's magic or anything, but ventilation upgrades are one of those things you don't fully appreciate until after they're done.
I was skeptical too when we replaced our roof a couple years back. The contractor suggested upgrading the ventilation system—ridge vents and some additional soffit vents—and I wasn't sure if it was just an upsell. But honestly, I'm glad we went for it. Before the upgrade, our attic was always stuffy and hot, even in mild weather. Afterward, the difference was pretty noticeable: cooler attic temps in summer, less moisture buildup, and fewer issues with mold or mildew.
Another bonus I didn't expect was better energy efficiency. It's not like our bills dropped dramatically or anything, but the AC definitely doesn't have to work as hard during peak summer months. So yeah, from my own experience I'd say it's worth the extra cost, especially if you're already replacing your roof anyway...might as well do it right while you've got everything opened up.
We had a similar experience when we replaced ours. I initially thought the ventilation upgrade was just another way to pad the bill, but honestly, it's been worth it. Noticeably less humidity upstairs and fewer ice dams in winter...definitely glad we did it.
Yeah, I was skeptical about the ventilation thing too at first—seemed like another upsell. But did you notice any difference in your cooling bills during summer? I've seen some clients report savings there, though it's not always consistent. Also curious if anyone's had trouble with critters getting into the upgraded vents...had a homeowner once who ended up with squirrels nesting in theirs. Just something to keep an eye on.
"Also curious if anyone's had trouble with critters getting into the upgraded vents...had a homeowner once who ended up with squirrels nesting in theirs."
Funny you mention squirrels—I had a similar issue last year. Upgraded vents seemed great until a family of raccoons moved in. Definitely worth checking vent screens regularly...lesson learned the hard way. Cooling bills did drop slightly though, so there's that.
