Quarrix FAQ's
Ridge Vent FAQ's
Q. When installing Quarrix 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 vents 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. Quarrix 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, Quarrix Rigid Roll 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?
A. Quarrix Rigid Roll and Rigid Vent can be used on pitches from 3/12-20/12.
Q. Has the Quarrix Ridge Vent been tested?
A. Yes! Quarrix Rigid Roll and Rigid Vent are industry certified for confidence in long-lasting performance. Quarrix ridge vents withstand tests like the 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. Quarrix Ridge Vents meet the conditions of acceptance of the Dust Exposure Test with no reduction in airflow. Quarrix 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 Quarrix products is a spun bound non-absorbent plastic. 29% of our membrane is fiber. The other 71% 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, when used with a balanced system, provides the adequate airflow for efficient ventilation.
Q. Do Quarrix Ridge Vents work with any other applications?
A. Quarrix Ridge Vents work on Hip, Off Peak and Shed applications. Quarrix 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 and 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 Quarrix 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 Quarrix Ridge Vent Products have?
A. Quarrix Ridge Vents, Tile Ridge Vent, Tile Blocking 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. Can I use Quarrix Ridge Vent on a home with a Cathedral Ceiling?
A. The short answer is yes. It is recommended when using Quarrix 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 continuously 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. It's omission would allow vapor to travel more easily 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 Vent 1" 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 Quarrix Ridge Vent instructions.
Q. Can Quarrix Ridge Vent be used in high altitudes?
A. Yes, Quarrix 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 Quarrix Ridge Vents be used in cold and snowy areas?
A. Yes, Quarrix 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 Quarrix Ridge Vent under Flat Tile?
A. Yes, Quarrix Ridge Vents will work well on flat tile applications. Measure your cap tile to see which size of Quarrix 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 Quarrix on Cedar Wood Shakes?
A. Yes, Quarrix Ridge Vents will work well on Cedar Wood Shake applications. Measure your ridge shakes to see which size of Quarrix 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 Quarrix on metal roofs?
A. Yes, Quarrix Ridge Vents will work well on metal roofs.
Q. Do I need to install an end cap with Quarrix Ridge Vents?
A. Yes, it is very important that Quarrix 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 Quarrix Ridge Vent made of?
A. Quarrix 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 enough 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 - 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 Quarrix Mult-Use 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 Quarrix Multi-Use 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. Quarrix Ridge Vents work on numerous applications including; Hip, Off Peak and Shed applications. Quarrix Ridge Vents also work under various types of roofing materials such as: flat tile, cedar shakes & shingles, stone coated steel and metal.
Quarrix Composite Tile FAQ's
Q. What colors are available for Quarrix Composite 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. What are your composite roofing materials made of? Are there any Environmental elements to your Composite Roofing?
A. Quarrix Composite Tile is 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.
* Fuel Efficiency - Quarrix Composite Tile is 67% less weight than natural 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 Quarrix Composite Tile perform with UV exposure and low temperature?
A. Our Composite Tile 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.
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 Quarrix Composite Tile over my existing roof material?
A. The best installation would be tearing off the existing roofing product and then re-roofing with the Distinction Tile.
Q. Is Quarrix Composite Tile certified?
A. We have tested Quarrix Composite Tile and met 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 Quarrix Composite Tile the existing roof does not need to be reinforced as with natural concrete/clay tile. Our lightweight makeup also allows for easier installation compared to the natural tile. Quarrix Composite Tile can be cut or fastened with common power tools. With Quarrix Composite Tile you get the natural look without the weight challenges. You can also walk on Quarrix Composite Tile with much less risk of breakage, unlike the natural products which are extremely fragile.
Q. What is the cost of Quarrix Composite Tile?
A. Quarrix Composite Tile will be comparable to other composites on the market. The true cost savings will be in the ease of installation and the structure. Since Quarrix Composite Tile does not require reinforced roof trusses, there can be material and labor cost savings.
Q. Can Quarrix Composite Tile 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 installer will yield the best result in terms of performance and appearance.
Q. How Easy is Installation?
A. Since Quarrix Composite Tile can be applied with standard roofing tools, installation is very easy. Quarrix Composite Tile is lightweight and easy to handle for transporting to the roof. Quarrix Composite Tile 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 Quarrix Composite Tile?
A. 50 Year Limited warranty
EZ-PLUG FAQ's
Q: What is the EZ-PLUG Patch made of?
A: The EZ-PLUG is made of ABS plastic and 7/16 OSB sheathing.
Q: How strong are they?
A: If installed according to instructions, the EZ-PLUG is stronger than the plywood patch you are currently using.
Q: Can I nail them in a hole over a rafter?
A: Yes, that’s why we use 7/16 OSB so not to interfere with the rafter.
Q: What is the maximum size hole we can fill?
A: We would like it to be 8″ x 8″ for maximum strength.
Q: Can I use the EZ-PLUG for repairing small holes from pipes or branches?
A: Yes! This is where the EZ-PLUG saves you a lot of time and money. Just trim the hole to 8" x 8" and nail it in. You’re done.
Q: Can I use the EZ-PLUG in the winter?
A: Yes, the EZ-PLUG will not crack or shatter after nailing it.
Q: Does the petroleum in the shingles or felt paper hurt the ABS plastic over time?
A: No, it will not affect the EZ-PLUG’s performance.
Q: Can I use the EZ-PLUG if the roof deck is made of boards instead of plywood?
A: Yes, as long as the hole is no greater than 8″ x 8″.
Q: What if the holes are larger than 8″ x 8″?
A: Then you cannot use the EZ-PLUG, use plywood or boards instead.
Q: What if the holes are 6″ or 7″ round instead of square?
A: Again, just trim the hole to 8″ x 8″ square, then nail the EZ-PLUG in.
Q: Can I staple the EZ-PLUG instead of nailing?
A: No, there should be 8 nails in the EZ-PLUG, one in each corner and one in the center of each side. The EZ-PLUG is marked with a small circle where nails should be placed.
Q: Why are the plugs red?
A: When an inspector or home owner looks in the attic to see how the holes were filled, they will easily see the red color. If the plug were black, it would look as though the hole was unfilled because it would resemble felt.