https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJZrJLiP3Pc, Install low gable vents located above the top level of the attic ceiling insulation. You can see an install here: How to Install AtticFoil in a Shed. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. Problem 2: Aluminum or vinyl soffits (eaves) installed over plywood soffits that don't have venting holes. Continue with Recommended Cookies. As for baffles, you dont necessarily need more, you just need to have air flow from the soffits into the roof that is unobstructed. Once this is done, suit up in appropriate protective gear and get to insulating. I mean the inside every bathroom, every bedroom, the kitchen, the century-old crown molding? BEST WHOLE HOUSE FAN: QuietCool 2465 CFM Classic Advanced Whole House Fan. ft. 300 sq. My formerly cozy house is now very chilly and the heater is running continuously. If your house has minimal (or non-existent) overhangs that wont accomodate soffit vents, or you simply arent able to install them for some reason, then you have a couple of options to provide intake air inlets low near the roof perimeter. #1 Problem - Blocked, Clogged or Dirty Soffit Vents. His dilemma, how to adequately ventilate his attic without vented soffits. Cool air enters the attic through the intake vents, but hot air doesn't generally exit through the intake vents, with the exception of gable roof vents. Continue reading to see the seven ventilation alternatives for homes without soffit vents, the ways attic insulation can affect attic ventilation, and ways to insulate your attic on your own. The insulation meets the roof without any gap for airflow at the soffit. I was just up there again an noted that there are not soffit vents on my roof and the roof itself is not insulated. Can you increase the size of the gables so they can have more free area for the air to come in/go out? Wind turbines are placed along the gable of your home and are also one of those great ventilation systems that are two-in-one. Should I be worried for possible mold growth down the line? Another point: we are about to put in a new roof, so I wonder if some type of intake installed with the new roof would be better? As far as I can tell, there are no soffit or other intake vents. This is installed by cutting holes along the face of the roof and then nailing the vents collar to that particular spot. ft. of attic about living space. This characteristic also makes it extra great for attics that are difficult to get around in or in attics that have lots of gaps to be filled on top of existing insulation. Check to make sure the vents are not blocked with insulation, inspect the area for any signs of rodent or insect nests, and confirm that the vent screens are attached. Get help with your home improvement projects. 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. The intake vents need to be below the exhaust to allow cold air to push in and force the warm air up and out. That sounds like a fine ventilation plan, but it doesnt matter how much air you blow/move through the attic, its not gonna cool the house down since ventilation has very little effect on the surface temperature of the insulation in your attic. Enjoy a warm home and keep all that hot air in your living spaces without it escaping through the attic. Original design had an attic above the ceiling; attic was ventilated with passive gable vents on each end. Will two gables and a roof vent be sufficient. This ventilation system is one that is typically used for those attics that really refuse to comply with more passive methods, so use this as a back up if you need a little push for something that is already existing. I believe the attic used to extend into the bedroom but was vaulted and the attic sealed off in a remodel. However, having more intake vents can help too. 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. No machinery is required for installation and it can be done quickly and easily without too much fuss. If its a gable style roof, Id go with ridge vents. With this power though, comes a lot of electricity use, so keep this in mind when your electric bill increases. Then, add more insulation on the floor and cover it up with our SuperPerf AtticFoil. Soffit may keep moisture out without vents, but it also keeps any moisture inside the attic and so on from escaping. If you have an attic with no soffit vents but 2 unobstructed gable vents, then you will probably be ok on ventilation. The accepted rule is 1 sq. 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. If you are having problems insulating the floor of the attic without covering the vents, consider investing in rafter vents or insulation baffles. However, without soffit vents, that makeup air comes from indoors, a situation that is not desirable in any season. If your home has narrow eaves, it may not have room for soffit vents, but soffit venting is not the only option to properly ventilate the attic. They are extremely powerful and are able to move tons of hot air out of your attic in a very short amount of time. While were replacing the roof, should we add ventilation? For proper ventilation you need some air intake relatively low in the attic, or across from one another to get a cross-breeze action. Is there a shot term solution to fixing this now that it is winter? I am getting mixed signals from those in the home building industry and the internet, some telling me not to install both gable vents and maxi roof vents as they conflict with each other in getting hot air out, some telling me just gable vents or just maxi roof vents. Homes that do not have a gable roof or space for soffit vents are generally designed with shingled intake vents or roof edge vents, positioned near the bottom of the roof. With a venting drip edge, you will likely only have to remove about an inch off the part of your roof that covers the rafters on your roof. I have gable vents on either side of the attic and a ridge vent. I have no soffit vents but my garage does have a vent (I assume its a slate vent) at the peak. Attic Ventilation Without Soffits Homes without room for soffit vents usually use gable vents or shingled vents to take advantage of passive ventilation. More info here: How much cooler can I expect my attic to be after Ive installed AtticFoil radiant barrier? I am a mechanical engineer and have a basic knowledge of HVAC systems but I learn continuously to make myself the best blogger in that space. Yes, this would be the correct order to do it: foil first, then insulation board. Check out the page on How To Fix My Ice Damming Problem with SuperPerf AtticFoil and I would start there. Hi Ed My 1920 craftsman home in northern california has several static exhaust vents and one solar vent, all near the ridge. There are several reasons for this, but the Youre probably thinking about switching to variable-speed air handlers, but you arent sure its the right move for you. 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. Formerly I had 3 dormer vents with the gable vent. I had not heard of the single fan before as a solution. There is no ridge. 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? The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Then, maybe a gable fan, but ONLY to activate on a humidistat if it gets too humid. Started smelling fumes in the basement. They can effectively pull the hot air out, but come with a tradeoff of higher electricity costs. 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. Even if you do not have soffit vents (a highly effective attic ventilation technology), there are plenty of options out there to either passively or actively ventilate your attic and make sure that you keep the structural integrity of your home in check. I wonder, would putting a fan on the interior side of that space work? Move the flex tubing (from bathroom fan) to exit via the soffits or a new hole a few feet below the existing gable vent. Ventilation is important and can help keep an attic dry and lower air temperatures, but not having any ventilation isnt the worst case scenario. Roof vents need to conform to International Residential Code (IRC)R802.7, which specifies the size and type of the openings. Any advice you can offer is much appreciated! 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. The new ridge vent contributes to attic depressurization, and the result is that more conditioned air is pulled through the ceiling leaks, raising your energy bills. I just found your website 2 days ago and glad I did it. A ridge vents works by drawing air upward and out of the attic space. Is it worthwhile to install soffit vents and a ridge vent if there is no air channel? Ventilation is an absolute must when it comes to your attic and maintaining your home. If you notice water dripping from the vents, you can set up a breathable shield to help obstruct driving rain, without blocking the vents. In a nutshell, yes, soffit vents prevent moisture from doing bad things to your home. Manage Settings Loose fill is just as it says loose. 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. They may seem like an eye-sore, but modern technology has afforded homeowners some very aesthetically pleasing options that wont distract from the beauty of your home, can blend in with your siding or brick, and work well to keep the attic ventilated. 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. Hello everyone. Ken writes: "I finally was able to make contact with the manufacturer of the open foam like material used under my ridge . I do have blown in insulation in the attic. These vents can blend in with the. Original (?) 900 sq. Options include using a metal screen wire to create a barrier outside the vent, investing in flexible roof sealant to fill any holes or gaps around the vent, and replacing nearby flashing and shingling to prevent rain water from seeping through worn or damaged parts of the roof. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roofalong the underside of the eave. Ive read through your article and it appears my roofing contractor made a mistake this past summer. TOM: It's a system. 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. Being in Houston, I definitely would recommend you install AtticFoil in the shed to make it much cooler in summer. Your house - your attic is not properly ventilated because you don't have any way for the air to get in the bottom." TOM: OK. I have mild growing probably from before the roof was installed. This is something you may have thought standard with most homes, but how can you ventilate without soffits? Thanks. Exhausting the roof with a smartvent or eyebrows? 1. Its scorching up there niw with this crazy Texas heatwave. Attic fans generally range in the $100 to $400 range, depending on the quality and brand. . Theeaves stick out about 1.5 feet wide. Greebo is spot on, you want soffit vents for your air intake. ft. of ventilation area Convert sq. It does not have soffit vents, but does have gable vents and an attic ventilator fan. 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. You should have an equal amount of intake and exhaust ventilation, equally about one square foot for every 150 square feet of attic space. If you block the vents, the heat in the attic will warm the roof, causing any snow to melt. I would start by adding soffits and letting it all completely dry out. A dry, well-ventilated attic prevents mold from developing both inside the attic and in the living areas below. Yes, take the fan out! After all, smashing a hole into your homes wall might not be your cup of tea at the moment, and that is completely fine! Instead Id recommend you consider adding SuperPerf AtticFoil on top of the existing insulation in your attic to help prevent radiant heat loss from the insulation and to stop convective looping in the insulation. There's a type of vent called a drip-edge vent. Long term solution? We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Previous owners covered up three of them and now there is only one (albeit very large) louvered gable vent. Soffit vents are roof ventilation devices installed underneath the eaves of a roof that extend past the warm wall line. Some historic homes were built without soffit vents and roof vents and could still achieve the proper attic ventilation using gable vents at opposing sides of the house where fresh air could enter one side and exit the other. They work as intake and exhaust vents depending on which way the wind is blowing, so they do have a nice dual function. 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). Various exhaustvents can be used in conjunction with low gable vents and eye-brow inlets. No place to install soffit vents. Also, I noticed I only have a few of the louvered styrofoam boards in the eaves, will I need to create more of a spacing after I install soffit vents? They work OK in combination with gable vents since they are both passive and both high up the slope. 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