Trimline FAQ's
Distinction Composite Roofing FAQ's
Ridge Vent FAQ's
Q. When installing Trimline Ridge Vent on a home that has soffit vents and gable vents is it acceptable to keep the gable vents?
A. The short answer is no. You should not combine your ventilation systems. Ridge vent should only be installed according to a balanced system; at least 50% of ventilation at the soffits and 50% at the ridge. Never combine gable vents, pot vents or powered fans with a balanced ridge vent and soffit ventilation system. When you have a series of exhaust vents near each other, the strongest vents will simply convert the others to intake vents and you could short circuit your ventilation system.
Q. How easy is installation?
A. Trimline Rigid Roll Ridge Vent Products are designed to be applied with "One-Pass Installation". This means that the vent and the cap shingles can be secured simultaneously during installation. To assure the fastest installation, a coil nail gun is recommended. For a smooth and even ridgeline, Trimline Rigid Roll Ridge Vent Products should not be pre-fastened along the entire vent prior to cap shingle installation. Refer to application instructions on package for complete installation details.
Q. What does NFA (Net Free Area) mean and what is the NFA of the product?
A. The Net Free Area of the product is 12.7 inches per lineal foot for the low profile product and 19 inches per lineal foot for the high profile product. NFA (Net Free Area) is the total unobstructed or free area through which air can enter or exhaust in a non-power ventilation system.
Q. What pitches can it be used on?
A. Trimline Rigid Roll and Rigid Vent PLUS can be used on pitches from 3/12-20/12.
Q. Has the Trimline Ridge Vent been tested?
A. Yes! Trimline Rigid Roll and Rigid Vent PLUS are industry certified for confidence in long-lasting performance. Trimline ridge vents withstand test like DADE County protocol of 8.8 inches of rain per hour with 100-MPH winds. They also pass the ICC snow simulation test at 35 MPH and 70 MPH with no infiltration. Trimline Ridge Vents meet the conditions of acceptance of the Dust Exposure Test with no reduction in airflow. Trimline vents hold certification from Miami-Dade, Building Officials and Code Administrators International, International Conference of Building Officials, International Code Council (ICC), Texas Department of Insurance and Underwriters Laboratories Class A or C.
Q. You do not have baffles, so will this product perform as well as baffled products?
A. Yes. A baffle alone does not provide ventilation. The most crucial element to the performance of a ventilation system is that it is in balance. If an attic has a properly balanced system, the airflow will move from the eaves and the bottom of the attic to the top, pushing out heat and moisture in a natural flow using air pressure, thermal effect and diffusion. If the system is unbalanced, and the NFA (Net Free Area) at the ridge is higher than at the eave, a reverse airflow can occur causing the opposite effect to what is desired. Baffles have no effect on achieving a balanced system. For a system to be in balance there must be an equal or greater amount of intake at the eaves than what is being exhausted at the ridge..
Q. What is the Bernoulli effect?
A. The Bernoulli effect has to do with wind passing over an object. When venting, a baffle is only as effective as the environment in which it operates. A baffled venting system only operates at its optimum efficiency when the wind passes perpendicularly over the baffle at a precise angle. If there is no wind over the baffle it does not aid in venting of the roof. In addition, your ridgeline has to be facing the way the wind blows for the baffle to perform. A Baffle alone will not provide adequate continuous ridge ventilation it must be a part of a balanced system.
Q. It's a filter, won't it clog?
A. Actually, the material is not a filter, but is a special air permeable membrane. Unlike products with a filter, the material is non-porous and will not allow matter such as dirt or loose insulation to lodge within it. Some products actually use a filter material and are susceptible to clogging.
Q. How does the weather shield material (StormStop®) work?
A. The membrane material used in Rigid Roll PLUSTM is a spun bound non-absorbent plastic. Twenty nine percent of our membrane is fiber. The other seventy-one percent is open. This lightweight membrane makeup allows air to pass through but stops water. Water pools on the surface of the membrane but is not allowed to penetrate it.
Q. Will the weather shield material (StormStop) reduce airflow?
A. Actually, the airflow of a ventilation system is determined by the Net Free Area of the vent, the slot width and the ventilation at the eave or soffit (a balanced system). The recommended slot width for installation of Rigid Roll PLUS, when used with a balanced system, provides the adequate airflow for efficient ventilation.
Q. Do Trimline Ridge Vents work with any other applications?
A. Trimline Ridge Vents work on Hip, Off Peak and Shed applications. Trimline Ridge Vents also work under various types of roofing materials such as; flat tile, cedar shakes & shingles, stone coated steel and metal. Go to our applications page for more details.
Q. How do non-baffled products differ from baffled products?
A. Baffles are unattractive, easily seen on the roof. In addition, plastic baffles can break off or deteriorate over time. Baffles also are susceptible to clogging from leaves and other debris. The main purpose of a baffle is to keep wind driven rain out of the attic.
Q. Can this product be used on hip applications?
A. Yes, the same Trimline Ridge Vent that is used on the ridge will work well in hip applications. See hip installation instructions for details.
Q. What kind of warranty do Trimline Ridge Vent Products have?
A. Trimline Rigid Roll PLUS, Rigid Vent PLUS, VariaVent, VariaBlock and other ventilation products carry a manufacturer's limited lifetime warranty.
Q. What length of nail should I use when installing your product?
A. According to building codes, the nail should penetrate the roof deck at least 3/4". Make sure that the nail is long enough to go through the vent and roofing material and still penetrate the deck at least 3/4".
Q. What does the PLUS stand for in Trimline Rigid Roll PLUS or Rigid Vent PLUS?
A. The PLUS in our product stands for the StormStop membrane that allows air to flow out of the attic, but doesn't allow moisture into the attic space.
Q. Can I use Trimline Ridge Vent on a home with a Cathedral Ceiling?
A. The short answer is yes. It is recommended when using Trimline Ridge Vents on a cathedral ceiling that the area for figuring proper ventilation is the surface area as opposed to the square footage. Make sure the slot is cut continuous along the entire roofline, leaving 6" uncut at each end. A ceiling vapor retarder is recommended in conjunction with ventilation for cathedral ceilings. With today's ever increasing amounts of insulation and "tighter", construction, a ceiling vapor retarder may not be so necessary for attics when adequate ventilation is provided. Its omission would allow vapor to more easily travel through the ceiling and out through the attic vents. It is important, however, to seal or avoid penetrations for electrical ceiling fixtures, which can allow mass movement of moist air into the roof cavity or attic space.
Q. What is a vapor barrier?
A. A vapor barrier is an impermeable membrane that blocks the flow of air through the building envelope. The function of a vapor barrier is to protect the envelope structure and insulation from condensation damage. Vapor Barriers should be installed on the warm side of the insulation.
What to do:
1) Install Rigid Roll Plus High Profile and soffit venting continuously along the ridge and eave. Each rafter space must have proper air flow.
2) Be sure to have a balanced system, between the ridge vent and soffit venting. The soffit vent should have a minimum of 9 square inches/lineal feet of net free area.
3) Install "vent chutes" or air baffles between the rafters from the soffit to the ridge. Install baffles to assure at least 1-1/2" to 2" of unobstructed airspace between the bottom of the roof deck and the top of the insulation.
4) Install a vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation to provide a block against living area moisture from migrating into the rafter space. Then install per Trimline Ridge Vent instructions.
Q. Can Trimline Ridge Vent be used in high altitude?
A. Yes, Trimline Ridge Vents will work regardless of the altitude. Shingle roofs can experience night sky cooling that depress roof deck temperatures significantly below ambient air temperatures, especially in high altitude locations, this makes the attic temperature lower improving energy costs.
Q. Can Trimline Ridge Vents be used in cold and snowy areas?
A. Yes, Trimline Ridge Vents work very well in cold and snowy areas. By properly ventilating your attic space in a cold and snowy area you are going to decrease your heating costs and prevent ice dams from forming.
Q. Can I use Trimline Ridge Vent under Flat Tile?
A. Yes, Trimline Ridge Vents will work well on flat tile applications. Measure your cap tile to see which size of Trimline Ridge Vent would work best; 7", 9" or 11-1/4", make sure the vent is fully covered by the cap tile. See flat tile installation instructions for details.
Q. Can I use Trimline on Cedar Wood Shakes?
A. Yes, Trimline Ridge Vents will work well on Cedar Wood Shake applications. Measure your ridge shakes to see which size of Trimline Ridge Vent would work best; 7"or 9", make sure the vent is fully covered by the ridge shakes. See cedar shake installation instructions for details.
Q. Can I use Trimline on metal roofs?
A. Yes, Trimline Ridge Vents will work well on metal roofs. Trimline metal vent, 7", 9" or 11-1/4" will all work on metal roofs; make sure the vent is fully covered by the ridge cap. See metal roof installation instructions for details.
Q. Do I need to install an end cap with Trimline Ridge Vent?
A. Yes, it is very important that Trimline end caps are used on all installations. The end caps ensure that the weather elements do not enter the attic space at the end of the ridge vent. See Ridge Vent installation details on the package for information on how to install end caps.
Q. What is Trimline Ridge Vent made of?
A. Trimline Ridge Vents are composed of multiple layers of corrugated plastic with StormStop membrane bonded to it. The corrugated plastic is High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), which performs in low and high temperature extremes.
Q. Can bugs get into my attic through the ridge vent?
A. No. Bugs are unable to enter the attic through the ridge vent, because the holes were designed large enough to allow air to exhaust, yet small not to allow bugs into the vent. The StormStop membrane offers another line of defense against bugs.
Q. What if my roof doesn't have any soffits, will ridge vents still work?
A. No, the most important factor in roof ventilation is the need for a "balanced system". This means for every inch of air exhausted, it must be balanced by providing the same or greater amount of air intake at the eaves. Good attic ventilation requires a balanced system - at least 50% of the vents at the eave and 50% at the upper portion of the roof. If you do not have a soffit vent, you may want to look at the Trimline Multi Roll Vent for Eave Intake and Off Peak application to create air intake on your roof.
Q. How do I ventilate my porch/clerestory roof?
A. Use Trimline Multi Roll Vent for this application. For detailed instructions, see clerestory (shed) application instructions.
Q. Do I need several different vents to handle venting multiple applications?
A. Trimline Ridge Vents work on numerous applications including; Hip, Off Peak and Shed applications. Trimline Ridge Vents also work under various types of roofing materials such as; flat tile, cedar shakes & shingles, stone coated steel and metal.
Distinction Composite Roofing FAQ's
Q. What colors are available for Distinction Slate?
A. There are 5 different colors for our composite slate product; charcoal, escape gray, gridiron, pewter gray and thunderous. Some people find that mixing the colors on a roof can really add dimension to the look of the roof.
Q. What colors are available for Distinction Tile?
A. There are 6 colors for our composite tile product; black, canyon earth, desert red, goldenrod, saddle brown and sage. Mixing the tile colors on a roof can give the look of the authentic rustic tile feel.
Q. Where are the composite roofing products manufactured?
A. Our composite roofing products are manufactured in Green Bay, WI. Our corporate headquarters are located in Minneapolis, MN.
Q. What are your composite roofing materials made of? Are there any Environmental elements to your Composite Roofing?
A. Distinction Composites are manufactured of High Density Polyethylene virgin resign as the base to the roofing product blended with fire retardant (made with recycled content) and UV stabilizers. With the importance of "green", Trimline's Distinction Composite Roofing fits the bill. Distinction Slate and Distinction Tile use 58% eco-friendly content. Among other eco-conscience products, we utilize a recycled cellulose material along with a crystalline filler. Both of these ingredients would be landfilled if we did not reclaim and use them.
- Local/Regional Materials - Manufactured in Green Bay, WI - any project in a 500 mile radius would be considered manufactured locally.
- Fuel Efficiency - Distinction Composite Roofing is 67% less weight than natural slate and concrete/clay tile equally the typical weight of shingles. Weight advantage means more square footage on a truckload, which requires less transportation per roof.
- Manufacturing Process - Regrind plastic used in new products 10-20%.
Reuse 100% of materials in plant (Drill tools and other parts)
No in process plastic from our plant goes into landfills.
Q. How will the Composite Roofing perform with UV exposure and low temperature?
A. Our Composite Roofing has been tested to accelerate the UV exposure and has shown insignificant change in the product. There was very little color change in the UV exposure. The product also goes through freeze/thaw testing and has no issues. Distinction Slate has been tested to the ICC ESR-1055 certification standard. Distinction Tile is currently being tested to the ICC AC07 Acceptance Test Criteria.
Q. With natural products the contractor needs to sort products between pallets to give the look of a random pattern, is this needed with your composite product?
A. Yes, it is a good idea to sort the products between pallets and bundles to get that truly natural look.
Q. Can I use Distinction Composite Roofing over my existing roof material?
A. The best installation would be tearing off the existing roofing product and then re-roofing with the Distinction Composites.
Q. Is Distinction Slate certified?
A. Yes it has an ICC certification, Report ESR - 1055.
Q. Is Distinction Tile certified?
A. We have tested Distinction Tile and meet the criteria for ICC certification to the AC07 Acceptance Test Criteria and are waiting for ICC approval.
Q. What are the advantages of Composites compared to natural products?
A. The biggest advantage is the lightweight structure of composites compared to natural products. With Distinction Composites roofing the existing roof does not need to be reinforced as with natural slate or concrete/clay tile. Our lightweight makeup also allows for easier installation compared to the natural tile and slate. Trimline Composite products can be cut or fastened with common power tools. With Composites you get the natural look without the weight challenges. You can also walk on Composites with much less risk of breakage, unlike the natural products which are extremely fragile.
Q. What is the cost of Distinction Composite Roofing?
A. Distinction Composite Roofing will be comparable to other composites on the market. The true cost savings will be in the ease of installation and the structure. Since Distinction Roofing products do not require reinforced roof trusses, there can be material and labor cost savings.
Q. Can Distinction Composite Roofing materials be applied by a do it yourselfer or occasional roofer?
A. While it is possible with a thorough understanding of the application manual, the intricacies of the various flashing details and the critical detail of roof layout, dictate that an experienced tile or slate installer will yield the best result in terms of performance and appearance.
Q. How Easy is Installation?
A. Since Distinction Composite Roofing can be applied with standard power roofing tools, installation is very easy. Distinction Roofing is lightweight and easy to handle for transporting to the roof. Distinction Roofing also has less breakage then natural products.
Q. What pitches can it be used on?
A. 2/12 to 20/20 pitches.
Q. What is the warranty for Distinction Composite Roofing?
A. 50 Year Limited warranty
Q. Can I get a Class "A" Fire rating?
A. A Class A rating may be achieved as part of a roofing system. Contact your local Distinction Representative for specific application information.
Q. Does Distinction Composite Roofing have a history of performance? How long in the Market?
A. Distinction Composite Roofing has been installed on homes since 2001 with excellent performance. Careful in depth industry testing has made Distinction a quality roofing choice. There are many satisfied homeowners who are enjoying the quality performance of Distinction Composite Roofing. Recently Trimline re-branded the products under the Distinction name.