"Turbine vents seemed tempting at first, but a neighbor had them and complained about squeaking noises after just a year or two—plus, they didn't seem to hold up well in heavy storms."
Glad you mentioned this. I was seriously considering turbine vents myself when we built our place last year, mostly because they seemed straightforward and budget-friendly. But after talking to a few folks around here, I heard similar stories about noise and durability issues. One guy down the street said his turbines started squeaking within months, and another neighbor had one literally blow off during a storm... not exactly reassuring.
Ended up going with ridge vents too, and so far they've been trouble-free. No leaks, no weird noises, and the attic stays noticeably cooler in summer compared to our old house (which had box vents). I was skeptical at first—seemed almost too simple to work—but it's been solid. Good to hear yours are holding up well after a couple years; gives me some confidence that we made the right call.
Honestly, roofing decisions stressed me out way more than I expected. So many options, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. But your experience lines up with mine, so fingers crossed we're both good for the long haul.
Good call on skipping the turbines. Had a similar experience with a rental property—tenants complained constantly about squeaking, and one vent got mangled in a thunderstorm. Switched to ridge vents after that, and they've been solid ever since. Honestly, roofing stuff always feels like a gamble... glad to hear ridge vents are working out for you too.
Yeah, ridge vents are definitely the way to go in my experience too. I built my own place a few years back and initially debated between turbines and ridge vents. Ended up going with ridge vents after talking to a buddy who had turbines that drove him nuts—said they squeaked like crazy whenever the wind picked up. Plus, he mentioned they didn't hold up well in storms either, which lines up exactly with your experience.
One thing I'd add though: make sure you have enough intake ventilation at the soffits if you're switching to ridge vents. Ridge vents rely heavily on proper airflow from below, so if your soffit vents are blocked or insufficient, you won't get the full benefit. I learned this the hard way when I first installed mine—I didn't have enough soffit venting, and my attic was still getting pretty hot in summer. After adding more intake vents, it made a huge difference.
Also, if you're replacing an old leaky roof anyway, it's worth checking out synthetic underlayment instead of traditional felt paper. It's a bit pricier upfront but way easier to work with (especially if you're DIYing it), and it holds up better against moisture during installation. I used it on my place and haven't regretted it once.
Roofing definitely feels like rolling dice sometimes...but doing your homework upfront can tilt things in your favor a bit. Good luck with the project—hope it goes smoothly for ya.
"Yeah, ridge vents are definitely the way to go in my experience too."
Gotta say, ridge vents are solid, but I've had turbines for over a decade without any squeaking or storm issues... maybe your buddy just got unlucky? Proper installation really makes a difference. Just my two cents.
I've heard good things about turbines lasting a long time too, but honestly I'm still kinda skeptical about them holding up in tougher weather. Maybe installation really is key, like you said.
"ridge vents are definitely the way to go"
Ridge vents seem more foolproof overall, but do they perform as well in areas with heavy snow accumulation? I'd be curious to hear from someone who's dealt with harsh winters...
