How to Install a Garage Vent
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6-8 hours
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Intermediate
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- 80-250
Heat can get trapped inside a garage without a roof vent, and this can adversely affect any type of machinery, vehicles, and people who enter it. If you use your garage as a woodworking space, a gym, or for any other activities, proper ventilation is essential. Adding a roof vent will allow the proper flow of the air, lowering the temperature inside the garage. Moreover, vents help keep the deadly and smelly fumes away when the garage door is closed. Follow the simple steps below to effectively install your roof vents.
Step 1 - Prepare
The first thing you need to do is buy the vents that will be installed on the garage roof. You can find metal or plastic vents at any hardware store. In general, installing a single vent is enough, but it has to be large enough. If you can not find a large vent, you should opt for a few smaller ones.
Before starting with the task, make sure you have all the tools you need handy. If possible, ask someone to assist you, because installing a vent on the garage roof means that you have to be on a ladder.
Step 2 - Place the Vents
Place the vent on the exterior garage wall. Keep in mind that you should place the vent up high because the exhaust vents have to be as high as possible. The intake vent can be placed lower on the walls, if not possible otherwise. You need to make sure cool air can enter the garage and help the warmer air move up out from the garage.
Step 3 - Make the Holes
The next step requires you to cut the holes for the vent. You will need to use the circular saw to cut the hole; rough it out and make all the necessary adjustments for the vent. You should try to insert it from the outer part to check if it fits properly. Check with the vent specifications to see what the manufacturer’s recommendations about the holes are.
Step 4 - Use the Caulk
Take the install a caulk bead around it, before you start mounting it. Use the screws of the vent, but you should check if the caulk offers a tight seal to prevent water from coming in when it rains.
Step 5 - Make Final Adjustments
If you see that the garage is too large and the vent doesn’t offer you enough ventilation, you should consider installing a turbine vent or a powered fan on the roof to relieve the heat. Check with the electrical panel and see what are the power lines available to connect the fan on the roof.
