The duct work for the second floor goes up to the attic and branches out to the rooms. Basically, its a slot cut in the deck a couple feet up from the drip edge that will act like soffit vents an allow air to get into the attic. link to Why Ceiling Fan Light Bulbs Keep Burning Out: 8 Reasons, link to Variable Speed Air Handler Pros and Cons, How Attic Insulation can Affect Ventilation, How to Insulate Your Attic to Ensure Effective Attic Ventilation, 4. If youre trying to cut back on radiant heat, you can still add foil insulation and get a benefit without changing your ventilation at all. Ridge vents can work without soffit vents; however, this won't be very energy efficient. Batt is the type of insulation that looks more like a blanket and it is easily pulled off and laid on. Greatly appreciate any thoughts. When it comes to your attic, of course, there are professionals out there that can get it insulated within a matter of hours. I am getting two suggestions from contractors for ways to add better air intake and I need your advice. 2018 international residential code (Irc) | icc digital codes. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. 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. Beware of adding a ridge vent without soffit vents (the worst) or soffit vents without a ridge vent (bad) or only gable-end vents (usually bad). No machinery is required for installation and it can be done quickly and easily without too much fuss. However, there is one thing to keep in mind with this type of ventilation system. More info that here: Proper Attic Ventilation. Many sincere thanks, Liz. ft. to sq. If you do not know what this is, either do a little digging or hire someone to get the job done quickly. This should be a National codes requirement on all new housing!! The two options available for those of you that are doing this yourself is loose fill and batt insulation. The attic runs hot. Would it be best to just replace the 2 power vents with newer ones? If this is the case. Plus, roofing and attic ventilation systems can protect homes from the expensive roof and structural damage caused by trapped heat, ice dams, moisture and mold. Photo 1: Mark attic roof air vent locations. BEST SOLAR OPTION: iLIVING Solar Roof Attic Exhaust Fan. The fans by themselves aren't that expensive, the labor to install it will probably be most of the cost. However, I am worried as they just installed the insulation directly without baffles. I was up there this last summer and it did get pretty hot and humid. It describes proper roof ventilation placement, amounts, and other details. More info on this here: Attic Ventilation Dont Mess It Up. 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. Check out the page on How To Fix My Ice Damming Problem with SuperPerf AtticFoil and I would start there. Typically you would have a gable vent on each end of the attic. No, I dont think the lack of vented air is the problem here its the radiant heat coming in from the roof and it having a pretty direct route to get right into the room. But no issues, just hot in summer. Enjoy a warm home and keep all that hot air in your living spaces without it escaping through the attic. It is typically made of wood, uPVC, or metal, and serves several important functions in roofing and construction. Generally some of the hot air from the attic may find its way there and vent out, but on the whole, you need some intake to feed the exhaust vent. More info here: How much cooler can I expect my attic to be after Ive installed AtticFoil radiant barrier? Soffit vents are roof ventilation devices installed underneath the eaves of a roof that extend past the warm wall line. On a small shed that size, a ridge vent wont make a difference compared to the existing gable vents. I cover how AtticFoil can help with ice damming on this page: How SuperPerf Helps Prevent Ice Dams on Your Roof Hope those resources are helpful to you! Even better, if you live in an area that is prone to lots of snow and ice, these are great options since they are protected by the shingle and are not directly exposed to the elements. Worse yet, inadequate insulation is almost surely allowing moisture-laden air into your attic. Thanks! Look at edge vents. No. The international building code requires attics to be vented according to the minimums specified in International Residential Code (IRC)R806.1: All attics need to be ventilated to avoid problems with mold, moisture, high energy bills, and damage to the roof or gutter system. The keyword here is regularly. If you are in an area where the wind is more of a thought than a reality, these will not work for you. Well you need them together. To ventilate your attic without soffits you can use gable vents, eyebrow vents, a venting drip edge, a shingle-over intake vent, wind turbines, or power vents. We also have a furnace and ductwork in our attic. That condensation needs to be vented in order to remove the condensation. If you dont have soffit vents, we recommend you add some other vents in the lower part of the attic that can function like soffits. 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. Loyal reader KEN has an attic space with only air exhaust points - a vented ridge, and no air intake. James, Based on your two considerations and knowing how ventilation works, option #1 is the best one of the two. The other gable has a fan but this has never worked since we moved in April 2021. Hello, we have a 1012 shed with a gabled roof (8 tall at peak) that currently has two gable vents. For an attic without soffit vents, you may have the option to use gable vents instead. Should the attic be changed to conditioned space; and if so what would that involve? We do have a few spots of mold on the ceiling above the door and above one of the windows, but it wipes right off the painted surface. Having a vapor barrier in the attic can raise the multiplier to 300 sq. Does this sound correct? 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. You can see an install here: How to Install AtticFoil in a Shed. Ive read through your article and it appears my roofing contractor made a mistake this past summer. Best of all, Atlas ventilation products are eligible components of the Atlas Signature Select Roofing . I mean, people have lived in this house for 170 years, no moisture problems. I would discourage you from adding a fan to the section with the gable (never a good plan to mix passive and active vents in the same space) maybe just add another small vent in the same area. I have no soffit vents but my garage does have a vent (I assume its a slate vent) at the peak. Ventilation is an absolute must when it comes to your attic and maintaining your home. ft. 300 sq. Basically, it terminates? Greebo is spot on, you want soffit vents for your air intake. Remember, your main goal is to get air moving through the attic by entering the attic space down low near the overhang/eave level and leaving the attic near the peak of the roof. For proper ventilation you need some air intake relatively low in the attic, or across from one another to get a cross-breeze action. We are in Houston, so often hot and humid weather. Intake air is critical to maintaining a proper flow of air throughout the attic space. Mary ice damming has to do with having a relatively warm roof (usually from leaking warm air out of the attic floor) and so the solution is to have a super cold roof. More info here: Fully insulating conditioned sheds or buildings. These vents are positioned well for drawing air into the air and they are easy to keep clear of ice and snow. As the wind blows across the roof of your house, it sort of swoops up at the ridge and the ridge depressurizes and the air that's in the attic sort of gets sucked out at the ridge. 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. I cannot see a way to put in soffit vents. Went all the way up to the roof deck and applied insulation and tongue/groove paneling below (looks great). Drip edge vents at low edge and static vents near the top? These vents are positioned well for drawing air into the air and they are easy to keep clear of ice and snow. More info here: RoofingFoil For Metal and Tile Roofing. However, if the wind is a regularity, then this can be a highly effective solution. There are other reasons a homeowner would want to install soffit vents. If its a gable style roof, Id go with ridge vents. I wont recommend you force air into the attic unless you have an easy path for it to exhaust out. Send your questions to Tom: http://homeshowradio.com/ask-tom-tynan/ See more AskTom videos: http:. . If you go this route, you will need additional vents to allow the air to get OUT (I recommend you use static vents for this purpose). What is the best way to apply the radiant barrier and fanfold board to the rafters (which goes first against the rafters, radiant barrier or fanfold board), so that there is still circulation and no issues with moisture? 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. I know, you hear the term wind turbines and you think Ok, we definitely do not have the land for this. Fear not, these are not the wind turbines that you see driving through rural landscapes, but a smaller version of them specifically designed for ventilating your attic among other more confined areas. I mean the inside every bathroom, every bedroom, the kitchen, the century-old crown molding? Instead, plan on ventilating the finished attic space with rafter venting. 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 want to improve the ventilation in our attic, but am afraid of messing up a good thing. You wont like the answer, but you probably need to take down the drywall and insulate the empty cavities. It is able to conform more easily than batt insulation and thus, can get into areas that other types of insulation normally could not. Or, should I suck air out both ends and allow the fans to suck conditioned air to provide ventilation? On inspection, there are 3 or 4 rectangular intake soffits feeding the vaulted ceiling from the outside, but the roof does not appear to have an exhaust (the two eyebrows on this roof feed from the attic that was sealed off). Tom can help. We cant add baffles as there are no soffit gables. Why Ceiling Fan Light Bulbs Keep Burning Out: 8 Reasons. settled rock wall insulation and need to add insulation. First, let me reiterate that I think you should use soffit vents as your intake source for attic ventilation. Wondering if a minimal amount of airflow through the fiberglass is better than none? Im wondering what to do? Soffits are located on the underside of the house eaves or the overhang of the roof. They are extremely powerful and are able to move tons of hot air out of your attic in a very short amount of time. However, if you are more like me, then hiring someone to do this for you would have been the most idealistic option. In the event an opening is more than 1/4 inch, it should be covered with wire cloth, perforated vinyl, or other screening material. Let me spare you the headache, if you dont have soffits, dont install a ridge vent. Attic Fan: What Are the Pros and Cons of Installing One? Tom can help. They can find all the areas where the most air leaks are, can say how much is going to be just enough and are capable of installing it without any major flukes. However, having more intake vents can help too. After you have removed the inch, simply attach the drip edge and you are in business. Ken, You can do this to get some air movement, but it sounds like this may not be enough. An ice dam is a large mass of ice that builds on the edge of a roof. The attic space has a fire wall in it so it doesnt make sense to put gable vents on opposite sides of the building. These vents are sneaky little boogers- but in a good way. This time, they added ice and water shield all over (eave to ridge). Thank you. We have 3 roof vents, 2 gable vents, a roof fan and a ridge vent. For some homes, you could try adding vents to a porch ceiling that could act like a soffit and feed the attic. Rafter vents or insulation baffles, are typically installed in the spacing between rafters, creating a narrow gap that allows outside air to flow in from the soffit vents. The ductwork has been sealed and insulated. The upper portion is defined as: "Upper ventilation shall not be lower than 3' below the ridge or highest point of the roof. Good idea or bad? When night falls, the melted snow freezes and can create an ice dam on the roof and in the gutter system, which can lead to leaks, mold growth, and ice damage. We just moved into a house in Connecticut that has been neglected. Manage Settings Id also look at installing a Radiant Barrier in the attic to keep the heat out. Also, I wanted to confirm that removing the attic ventilator fan is the right move. If you are really wanting to make sure that your attic is not sucking energy from your home and can properly ventilate, you first want to start with the attic floor. Air enters low and then escapes out of the attic higher up near the peak of the roof, usually via a ridge vent, an attic fan (which we do not recommend), static roof vents, or a high-mounted gable vent/fan. All are good alternatives if you cannot install soffit vents; however, a very important factor for good ventilation is good insulation. It cut our bill by maybe 5%. In your attic the inside air (vapor) will travel through the insulation. It reminds me when growing up we have an attic fan for ventilating the whole house (pre air-conditioning) which was wonderful. In a nutshell, yes, soffit vents prevent moisture from doing bad things to your home. Focus on the other ventilation you have in the attic. I wonder, would putting a fan on the interior side of that space work? You can check if your attic needs better ventilation by touching the ceiling of the floor below on a hot day. I think my best option is to put eyebrow vents on the roof at the low side and then eyebrow vents or gable vents on the top side. If you have plenty of intake into the attic (usually via soffit vents), then your ridge vent should work well. If you block the vents, the heat in the attic will warm the roof, causing any snow to melt. Started smelling fumes in the basement. Attic ventilation helps draw hot air outside during the warmer months of the year, and reduces ice sheeting and ice dam build-up during the winter months. By adding adequate ventilation, a homeowner can control the humidity under their roof, and the perforations in a soffit vent are perfect for this purpose. Will adding soffit vents and killing the mold prevent future problems or do I need to remove damaged decking? The next winter, it was humid in the attic, so fan was on, furnace turned on, and hot water heater was heating. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. If you suspect asbestos, be sure to leave it and get it tested before deciding to go forward with the removal. Cons Most effective when used with a ridge vent Homeowner tend to cover them with insulation, which blocks the airflow Most people have plenty of exhaust vents but not nearly enough *intake* vents. 2. After reading your articles I understand the necessity to install the soffits and probably disconnect the fan but would love to have your opinion . Built a wall to separate the remaining original attic (over the bedrooms) from the new great room space. In order to understand why attic ventilation is important to the safety and continued function of your home, it's necessary to grasp the basics of attic ventilation. 3 years ago I replaced all the soffit covers, facia, facia boards, and gutters. Is this a good plan? Because of where they are located on the roof, they do very well at allowing heat to escape from them, which obviously fares your attic well. 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