Attic Ventilation Gets New England Touch

By Paul Bianchina

When it comes to attic ventilation, which requires air intakes near the bottom of the roof and air outlets near the top, one stumbling block can be those high vents. Standard plastic or metal roof vents, mounted up near the ridge, are certainly effective, but they're not always the best looking addition to your home. So if you've been looking for an alternative, why not consider a cupola?

A cupola, that cute little roofed structure long associated with New England homes, is actually a vent. It is constructed astride the ridge of the roof, which places it at the roof's highest point where natural convection airflow is at its best, and louvers on four - or more - sides provide lots of ventilation surface area.

Traditionally, cupolas were constructed as part of the house, framed and roofed at the same time the house was. Being originally site-built, cupola designs varied somewhat. One of the most common styles is simply a four-sided structure with a hip roof and a solid base. The base attaches to the roof, and the sides have fixed louvers that are slanted down to prevent rain from entering, similar to a standard gable end vent. And, like any other vent, screen is used behind the louvers to prevent insects from getting in. In addition to the hip-roofed square, some cupolas were made more rectangular or in octagonal shapes, and there were gable roofs, modified Dutch hips and even pagoda-style curved hip roofs.

Rising labor costs and changes in home styles eventually reduced demand, and other types of ventilation took the cupola's place. But with today's technologies, prefabricated cupolas are now available that offer great ventilation, easy installation, low maintenance and great traditional styling.

Site-built cupolas were made of wood, and many of today's prefabricated models are made the same way, typically of pine that is primed and ready to paint. For less maintenance, other companies also offer wood cupolas that are wrapped with PVC cladding in traditional white and other colors. And for the real home handyperson, you can even find wood cupolas in kits that require assembly. Most manufacturers make their cupolas with copper-cladded roof structures, which are beautiful and blend with virtually any type of roofing.

Some prefabricated cupolas are completely assembled, while others come in three sections - base, walls and roof - which requires a little bit of assembly but simplifies the physical requirements of getting the unit up onto the roof. Some cupolas can be ordered with a pre-cut notch that fits the pitch of your roof, while others require on-site cutting - instructions are provided on how to measure the roof pitch and cut the notch.

With any type of cupola, proper sizing is important. Remember that a cupola can look pretty big sitting on the ground, but visually diminishes in size once it's up on the roof. To avoid buying one that's too small, one company recommends that for every foot of unbroken ridgeline on the roof, you allow one inch of base width for the cupola.

Other Options

Like the general look of a cupola but want something different? Never fear, there seems to be something out there for everyone. For example, you might want to get one with cathedral-style arch-top louvers or one with smaller side-by-side louver sets. There are also cupola styles with openings in the sides rather than louvers - typically called bell-tower styles, since that's what they resemble.

Or how about windows instead? Many manufactures offer cupolas with traditional gridded windows in them in a number of different styles, which gives it more of a lighthouse appearance. In fact, you can even add a light kit inside for striking effects at night.

Depending on the size, style, and other features, prices range from around $450 to over $1,400. Cupolas can be special-ordered from some home centers, lumberyards and window dealers, or you can check some out on the Web.

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