The three things that fail · 03
Cracked roof vent: why plastic vents fail in Texas
Plastic roof vents are builder-grade. The Texas sun makes them brittle, they crack, and then it's a hole in your roof. The fix is a new vent, fastened with screws and rubber washers, not caulk. If your dryer vents out the roof, check the cap: most are stamped "Not for dryer vent use."
Pull that cap off the roof and look at the base.
It reads: "Not for dryer vent use." That's the cap on most dryer vents that go out the roof here. A metal dryer jack, built for dryer exhaust, doesn't split.
What we check on every vent
The plastic itself, the flashing around it, and the fasteners holding it. Plastic vents are checked on The Breakwater and The Harbor programs. Each extra vent is $150 on the same visit.
Is my attic getting enough air?
Attic ventilation is checked on The Breakwater and The Harbor visits. Too little air cooks shingles from below.
Questions homeowners ask
The plastic vent on my roof is cracked. Why does that happen in Texas?
Builder-grade plastic and the Texas sun. Heat and UV make the plastic brittle, and it cracks. Once it does, it's a hole in your roof.
My dryer vent goes out the roof and it's leaking. Is that right?
Most dryer vents on roofs here run into a plastic cap, and most of those caps are stamped "Not for dryer vent use." Lint and heat clog and warp them. A metal dryer jack made for dryer exhaust is the fix, $225 on a visit.
How do I know if a roof vent is failing?
From the ground: faded or chalky plastic, a cracked corner, a vent that looks tilted, or a stain on the ceiling near an outside wall. Up close we check the plastic, the flashing and the fasteners.
Does a cracked vent mean I need a new roof?
No. A vent is a part. The cracked one comes out and a new one goes in, fastened with screws and rubber washers.
See what your roof is telling you before you decide anything.
- Book a roof inspection.
- We bring your roof system down to you. The good, the bad, what's failing, in photos.
- You decide.