Attic ventilation and skylights
A New Braunfels attic hits 140 degrees in July and cooks the roof from underneath; proper ridge-and-soffit ventilation fixes that. And a 20-year-old skylight is the most common leak on the house — we replace them with hail-rated units, flashed right.
Ventilation is the part of a roof nobody sees and everybody pays for. Without a balanced intake-and-exhaust system — soffit vents low, a ridge vent high — a Texas attic stores heat all day and radiates it into the house all night, the shingles age from the underside, the underlayment gets brittle, and the AC runs an extra two hours a day. Most of the roofs we replace in Veramendi and Mayfair have a couple of turtle vents and blocked soffits; that's not a system. Every replacement we do includes a continuous ridge vent, and when the soffits are painted shut we open them.
Skylights are the other quiet problem. The bubble skylights on 1990s and 2000s houses yellow, craze and leak at the curb, and they're the first thing hail breaks. We replace them with curb- or deck-mounted Velux units with laminated, hail-rated glass, flashed with the manufacturer's kit and ice-and-water, and we'll add solar-powered venting units where a bathroom or a kitchen needs them.
What's included
Ridge & soffit ventilation
Continuous ridge vent cut in, soffit intake opened or added, baffles installed so insulation doesn't block it.
Powered & solar attic fans
Where a roof shape won't take a ridge vent — hip roofs, low slopes — thermostat-controlled fans, properly sized.
Radiant barrier
Foil-faced decking on replacements or spray radiant barrier in existing attics; 15–25 degrees off the attic temperature.
Skylight replacement
Velux deck- and curb-mounted units, laminated hail-rated glass, manufacturer flashing kit, ice-and-water.
Sun tunnels
Solar tubes for dark hallways and baths — a 10-inch tube lights a bathroom without a hole big enough to leak.
Ventilation assessment
Net-free-area calculation for your attic so intake and exhaust actually balance; included with any inspection.
Ventilation and skylight cost in New Braunfels, TX
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge vent, added to existing roof | $600 – $1,400 | Per roof; cut and installed |
| Soffit vents opened / added | $300 – $900 | Depends on soffit type |
| Solar attic fan, installed | $700 – $1,300 | Each |
| Radiant barrier spray, existing attic | $1.00 – $1.80 / sq ft | Attic floor area |
| Skylight replacement (deck-mounted) | $1,200 – $2,400 | Each, flashed and trimmed |
| Sun tunnel, installed | $700 – $1,300 | Each |
These are 2026 Comal County ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized — tear-off, decking, underlayment, shingles or panels, flashing, ventilation, permit — and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about ventilation & skylights
Why is my upstairs so hot in summer?
Usually the attic. If it's 140 degrees up there at 4 PM, the ceiling below is a radiator. Balanced ridge-and-soffit ventilation plus a radiant barrier typically drops the attic 20–30 degrees, and the upstairs follows.
Does ventilation really make shingles last longer?
Yes — the manufacturers require it. Warranties on every major shingle line are reduced or voided on an unventilated attic, because heat from below is the main thing that dries out the asphalt.
Are skylights a bad idea in Texas?
Old bubble skylights are. Modern laminated, low-E glass units are hail-rated, block most of the heat and don't leak when they're flashed correctly. If yours is more than 15 years old, plan to replace it when you replace the roof — it's cheaper together.
Can you add a skylight where there isn't one?
Yes, on most roofs. It's a framing cut between rafters, a curb, the unit and the drywall chase below. Sun tunnels are the easier option for hallways and baths.
Do I need a permit for a skylight?
A replacement in the same opening doesn't need a permit in New Braunfels; a new opening is part of the roofing permit when we're doing the roof, or a small building permit on its own.