Roof venting ridge vs turbine vs something else

[meackerman]

When we moved in our house had one small gable vent for the hot air to escape the attic. Since then I put a ridge vent on the front part of the house (about the first 1/4 of the house) and a powered vent over the back part. House is kind of divided into thirds...the front part with regular height ceilings, the middle with vaulted ceilings (with room between the ceiling and roof to crawl through) and.the back part with normal height ceilings again.
It's a 3200 sq ft house thats long and two rooms wide...hallway down the center, a room on each side.
Need to install more venting...there's nothing for the center of the house and I'd like to up the temperature on the thermostat on the powered vent so it doesn't run all day long. Also need to more venting so I can install a whole house fan.
So I can rip the ridge off the rest of the house and put a ridge vent on...that was a pain in the butt for the part I did already...or buy a couple of turbine vents. Turbine vents appeal to me because they're relatively inexpensive and easy to install. But I don't want to do this again.
Or is there something better than either of those?
California summer.days here are 90+ upto an occasional 110.

[chips ahoy]

I had a turbo vent and once the bearings start to go they will drive you nuts. I had to have a new roof put on and in my are a ridge vent is now code when a roof is replaced. I also have a gable vent in each end of the house..Attic is nice and cool but I don't get as much heat as you do.

Mel

[Woodenfish]

I would look into solar powered roof vents. The new models seem to be much better in build quality today than in prior years and more affordable.

[theeviltwinn]

A ridge vent is only half the equation. You also need some way for air to enter the attic space. This is usually accomplished through soffit vents.

Twinn

[meackerman]

Already have lots of eave vents.

For some reason when the previous owner had the place reroofed about 10 years ago he didn't have any vents installed. When we moved in you could feel the heat pouring down through the attic stairs opening...and it was closed.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Ridge vent with sufficient soffit/eave venting will operate non stop, 24 hours a day, no matter what the weather with the only upkeep being occasionally checking the vent filters and soffit vent clearance.

No bearings, no solar power, no nothing save hot air rises and cooler air replaces it.

[Bob10]

You might try calling PG&E and asking them. I have had 5 roofs done in the last 3 years additional vents are required along with insulation. They would be my first call since they do the audit free of charge and can't force you to do anything

[meackerman]

I called PG&e about an audit a couple years ago and they said they didn't do them anymore

[fredhargis]

I'd go with the ridge vent, although some will say they clog over the years and need replaced. The turbine vents are good, but as said if the bearing goes out it's sup annoying. the commonly available ones just have a nylon bushing for a bearing; if you choose that route be sure to get the higher quality ones with ball bearings.

[Woodjets]

If your purpose is to keep your roof from prematurely aging then the ridge vent is fine. If you want to keep your house cool then put a fan on one of the gables. But you will need to have enough venting for the fan to draw enough air thru the attic. I've been in a few attics with gable fans and they are dramatically cooler than an attic with a ridge vent or powered roof vents.