A roofer came by and suggested we put in ridge vents along entire attic which we did. Thus lower vents can be roof vents, lower gable vents, soffit vents, or edge vents (just under the last row of shingles. More info here: How much cooler can I expect my attic to be after Ive installed AtticFoil radiant barrier? However, there is no daylight through the soffit vents when I look through them from inside the attic (with attic lights off). Get help with your home improvement projects. Definitely AIR SEAL the attic floor. Read our. All code-compliant houses with attics will already have some attic ventilation, but it's always a good idea to expand upon minimum venting requirements to keep your house in top condition for the long term. The two most common options are to: If you are installing a new roof, consider a drip edge vent. Ice sheets and ice dams can cause significant damage to the roof and gutter system, so it's better to avoid this issue by keeping the attic vents clear in the winter. Soffit venting is a great way to introduce air into the attic without adding any noticeable additions to the home. The other two across from each other (lets call it the longer run from the front to back of the house were smaller and higher up. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. The fascia is a horizontal board that is fixed to the ends of roof rafters or trusses at the eaves of a building. No place to install soffit vents. Alyssa, if your garage door can open, even just a crack, air will pull into the garage from under the door and go up and out the vent. Good idea or bad? Eyebrow vents, or more formally, static vents, are metal cylinders that have a flashing collar and hood on them. If you have a finished attic or an attic space that you are planning on finishing, then wall gable vents and roof vents aren't the best option. If you want to bulk up your r-value, you should add it to the attic floor, where you already have r-value or else omit the board all together. (n.d.). Then, add more insulation on the floor and cover it up with our SuperPerf AtticFoil. Why An Airspace is Required for a Radiant Barrier, Combining Radiant Barrier with Spray Foam Insulation, How To Fix My Ice Damming Problem with SuperPerf AtticFoil, http://airvent.com/stageit/images/installation_the_edge_vent.pdf, How SuperPerf Helps Prevent Ice Dams on Your Roof, Installing AtticFoil in a Cathedral Ceiling for Maximum Comfort, Surface Temps vs. Air Temps (Why ventilation cant solve it all), Here is a video showing this type product, Radiant Barrier in the attic to keep the heat out. Even more, it is going to do a more effective job at insulating those spaces. Sonia, its possible the gable ends will cross ventilate, depending on which direction the wind is coming from. Move insulation away from the soffit with rafter vent baffles. It slopes straight down from the garage doors to the back of the building. Thank you. Photos 1 - 6 show how it's done. We live in Philadelphia suburbs in a typical builder home built in 1983 of 2314 sq ft. We changed our roof 18 years ago when moving in and its time to replace it again with better performing shingles. There are other reasons a homeowner would want to install soffit vents. Attic ventilation not only keep you house cooler in the summer but keeps the shingles from reach those high temperatures that can cause early failures. I have two contractor proposals. I have been in my attic and never noticed any condensation or moisture. Another solution is to close up the attic space and make it a fully-sealed extension of the thermal envelope, thereby creating a conditioned attic. We currently have two gable vents that are too high to create any airflow from the bottom up and strangely, we have a ridge vent even though we dont have soffits. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, Attic Ventilation Building Code Requirements, How to Install a Ridge Vent on a Shingled Roof. Once this is done, suit up in appropriate protective gear and get to insulating. Since you are using asphalt shingles, you will have a new deck. This is great for the summertime, but when it comes to winter, there is nothing worse. He installed a ridge vent but we do not have any soffit vents, only a single gable edge vent ( in the top third if the gable). Seal up the soffit vents and rely on the gable vents instead. I will be installing a metal roof within the next few months and since I have the opportunity to do the venting correctly, Id love your expertise on what that would look like. We have a 1940s Mansard roof with NO soffits. Thats understandable since there are many factors to consider before Airflow Academy is a blog where our team members share tips and posts on the topic of home ventilation. Your email address will not be published. I was thinking when we replace the roof, we should install a ridge vent. Ideally, the attic should have an equal split of intake and exhaust vents, with about one square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of attic space. Essentially bring air through the high interior ceiling and pass it through the attic with gable vent outtake? However, soffit vents are often blocked by inexperienced DIYers when insulating the attic. Theeaves stick out about 1.5 feet wide. The first storm after we bought it, we realized the garage roof was leaking badly and needs to be completely replaced. The roof has continuous soffit vents but no ridge vent. It does not have soffit vents, but does have gable vents and an attic ventilator fan. Here is one http://airvent.com/stageit/images/installation_the_edge_vent.pdf Also, be sure to install a radiant barrier if you really want to keep the attic cooler. Drive nails up through the sheathing and shingles to mark roof air vent locations. Tom can help. Were thinking of either: 1. significantly lowering the gable vents on either side and maybe making them a bit bigger 2. or installing GAF Cobra edge vents although this makes me nervous, as it means cutting significant slits in the roof and seemingly has to be done just right to work properly and not leak. The vents are intended to allow cold air into the attic, reducing the temperature of the roof. Evaluate Your Homes Target R-Value and Begin the Insulation Process. Long term solution? HomeShowRadio 7.29K subscribers Subscribe 38 Share 7.4K views 2 years ago Get help with your home improvement projects. His dilemma, how to adequately ventilate his attic without vented soffits. Will this config move air? Due to their nature-reliant construction, they are super energy-efficient and can save you some serious money when it comes to your homes energy expenses. The air flows through the rafter vents to the peak of the roof. They work much like a box fan placed in a window on a hot summer day. If youre looking to keep things cooler in the She-Shed, you need to consider sealing it up air tight and using some A/C too. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. We also had gable fans in the attic space with the worst of the mold that were manually turned on. Is it worthwhile to install soffit vents and a ridge vent if there is no air channel? A couple of cans of spray foam can go a long way toward helping keep things sealed up air tight. Our electric bill was cut about 40% the year after vs the year before! Your email address will not be published. Install a ridge vent along the roof peak so that the air has somewhere to exit the attic space. I own an older home that does not have eaves ventilation and would be very difficult to have this ventilation added. ft. of ventilation area at the soffits. Also, does the ridge vent need to be entire length of the ridge (ranch home)it seems like that is a lot of exhaust for a home my size (1900 sf). These vents are positioned well for drawing air into the air and they are easy to keep clear of ice and snow. However the mold is a concern, so Id recommend either checking yourself or hiring a professional to come take a look at the attic floor and find the weak spots where air could be leaking through so they can seal them up. Consider installing eyebrow vents. Thank you for your time. Is there a shot term solution to fixing this now that it is winter? thanks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How To Vent an Attic Without Soffit Vents. Dont close off the ridge you want your attic to be COLD. Adding attic vents is a simple matter of cutting holes and installing vents. Various exhaustvents can be used in conjunction with low gable vents and eye-brow inlets. Even new homes often don't have adequate ventilation!! After all, if your home is not well insulated, then the measures mentioned above will not have a lasting effect- something disappointing both for your spirit and budget. Use eye-brow vents that are on the top of the sloping roof surface near the soffit/eave area. Also, leave the ridge vent exposed and leave about a foot uncovered (no barrier or board) the whole length of the roof where the roof meets the soffit so air can circulate between the rafters. I have a vaulted ceiling in a bedroom that terminates at the wall where the attic is. Achieve ventilation through ridge vents and roof soffits. If the ceiling feels warm, it indicates that the attic is storing warm air. We also have a furnace and ductwork in our attic. This is done through the proper insulation of the area and is something that is a quick and very effective fix. The key is having plenty of INTAKE air coming in lower, typically via the soffits. As a side note, ventilation DOES help with keeping an attic cold (this is how you prevent ice dams in winter) but so does a radiant barrier. Adding these to your home is likely something you can do on your own if you do a bit of reading up and have a tall enough ladder. Many people who think about installing gable vents slightly cringe at the thought of them. What Is The Brown Wire On Thermostat For. Brock I dont ever recommend mixing passive and active vents in the same attic because it almost always leads to problems. It has low slopemaybe 1/12 or 2/12? Id look at adding some lower side intake vents. More info here: Fully insulating conditioned sheds or buildings. There are two gable vents but they are obstructed by a chimney. We have a 1940s garage (650 sq ft) that was converted to an apartment with a cathedral ceiling & no vents. I have no soffit vents but my garage does have a vent (I assume its a slate vent) at the peak. The low slope prevents me from using an edge vent. There are no soffit vents, so Im not sure what the intake design was; air seemed to just pass through from end to end. Attic fans generally range in the $100 to $400 range, depending on the quality and brand. Insulating a cathedral ceiling for maximum comfort year-round. There are no soffits and no way to add soffit vents. Ed, I have a 45 year old cedar shake roof that I will be replacing soon. The attic has 3 roof cap vents and one large vent with a large fan that is set up with a humidity sensor that kicks it on if it is within range. Ruth, I say if it aint broke dont fix it! Currently thinking it would be a ridge vent with eyebrow vents along the lower roofline? If youre willing to commit to this, this page shows you the best and easiest way to do it right: Insulating a cathedral ceiling for maximum comfort year-round. You made no mention of converting the attic space into livable space, so that does not make sense to add it there. The Department of Energy has a different list for different climates. Our house is a Garrison Colonial (post WWII style) with NO soffits. While were replacing the roof, should we add ventilation? There is no ridge. Hello! The attic currently has NO mold or condensation. BEST WHOLE HOUSE FAN: QuietCool 2465 CFM Classic Advanced Whole House Fan. I agree with the installers recommending passive roof vents lower down the roof (on both sides) so that air could enter closer to the bottom of the roof to then exit through the passive vents at the top. Would it be best to just replace the 2 power vents with newer ones? We live in Boise. In the event an opening is more than 1/4 inch, it should be covered with wire cloth, perforated vinyl, or other screening material. If a gable vent seems like too big of a commitment or undertaking, consider smaller eyebrow vents that are mounted low on the roof slow so they can act as intake vents. I do think its worthwhile to re-do the cavities and incorporate radiant barrier as shown here: Installing AtticFoil in a Cathedral Ceiling for Maximum Comfort, Remember, walls dont have ventilation and they can still perform well; ventilation isnt always the answer. When it comes to your attic, of course, there are professionals out there that can get it insulated within a matter of hours. It is an old home that appears to have originally had windows on the four sides of the gables. I was talked into this popular ridge vent. Im inclined to say to myself I got taken but maybe no harm done since the four windows and open space from 50 year old fan not working is enough fresh air coming in. Im hoping to use it as a work shop, potentially with a window A/C unit. You can see an install here: How to Install AtticFoil in a Shed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It reminds me when growing up we have an attic fan for ventilating the whole house (pre air-conditioning) which was wonderful. The home currently has 1, 1215 rectangular gable vent per side of the home and a couple of small mushroom type roof vents. With this power though, comes a lot of electricity use, so keep this in mind when your electric bill increases. It cut our bill by maybe 5%. This method is called positive pressure ventilation and should only be used as a last resort. A venting drip edge is actually pretty easy to install as well and very often, only takes a little bit of grappling with your roof to get the job done. However, if your attic has blocked soffit vents and is not well-sealed from the rest of the house, attic fans will suck cool conditioned air up out of the house and into the attic. An ice dam is a large mass of ice that builds on the edge of a roof. I have a shed roof over top of my garage, the slope is 2/12. The guideline drops to 1 ft for every 300 ft with a vapor barrier. After this, get the measurements for your attic and get to buying. Without proper ventilation, the temperature in the attic can reach unhealthy levels, which can quickly lead to problems. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2018P7/chapter-8-roof-ceiling-construction. Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles, including small round discs and rectangular grilles. Without soffit vents, the ridge vents will draw air through other attic inlets, like a gable, but this will limit the air circulation in the attic. These vents allow hot air to escape the attic as it rises to the peak of the roof. 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