Loyal reader KEN has an attic space with only air exhaust points - a vented ridge, and no air intake. If you do not know what this is, either do a little digging or hire someone to get the job done quickly. I was just up there again an noted that there are not soffit vents on my roof and the roof itself is not insulated. An experienced roofer should be able to help you make a plan. Gable vents are not as horrifying as they sound. We have a 1940s Mansard roof with NO soffits. Formerly I had 3 dormer vents with the gable vent. Is there a shot term solution to fixing this now that it is winter? 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. from the roof's peak. The insulation meets the roof without any gap for airflow at the soffit. Started smelling fumes in the basement. Previously we had a few gable vents around the attic its a connected attic with different sections from multiple additions. There are no soffits and no way to add soffit vents. You also want to choose the type of insulation that you will be using. There are no rafter vent baffles. Soffit outlining the roofline allows for continuous ventilation and is one of the most effective ways to ventilate into the attic. Send your questions to Tom: http://homeshowradio.com/ask-tom-tynan/ See more AskTom videos: http:. ft. = 3 sq. We also have a furnace and ductwork in our attic. In the event an opening is more than 1/4 inch, it should be covered with wire cloth, perforated vinyl, or other screening material. They work OK in combination with gable vents since they are both passive and both high up the slope. Greebo is spot on, you want soffit vents for your air intake. thanks. We waited another year and then added insulation from R7 to R38. It is able to conform more easily than batt insulation and thus, can get into areas that other types of insulation normally could not. 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. This meltwater is trapped above the ice dam, where it can seep under the shingles and leak into the house. You should have an equal amount of intake and exhaust ventilation, equally about one square foot for every 150 square feet of attic space. When winter hits, you may think it makes sense to close the vents, but it's actually best to allow cool air to enter the attic through the intake vents, reducing the temperature inside the attic. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. 9 times out of 10 its gonna come from your leaky attic floor. 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. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. Just keep an eye on things and try to crack the door open when possible. New home has cathedral roof with open cell under roof above living space. 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. Hi Ed My 1920 craftsman home in northern california has several static exhaust vents and one solar vent, all near the ridge. Please HELP!! The insulator recommended additional gable vents and a few maxi roof vents be installed to assist with getting hot air out of the attic. So you have no soffit. Move insulation away from the soffit with rafter vent baffles. Especially hard driving rain that is whipped about by heavy winds can enter the roof vents. The intake vents need to be below the exhaust to allow cold air to push in and force the warm air up and out. I will eventually insulate under the roof deck as well as insulate and air-seal the attic floor. Weve had several roofers out for suggestions and so far none have worked. If the home has soffit intake vents, then they will typically be individual vents that are spaced with one every few feet, or the home may have a continuous perforated soffit that runs the entire length of the eave. 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). Using a venting drip edge is a very common alternative for those who do not have existing soffit vents or simply do not have the right roof layout to add them. Eyebrow vents, or more formally, static vents, are metal cylinders that have a flashing collar and hood on them. Your email address will not be published. When the attic or roof heats up, the ice or snow on the roof melts. First, let me reiterate that I think you should use soffit vents as your intake source for attic ventilation. There are other reasons a homeowner would want to install soffit vents. If this is happening, your ventilation systems will then be working against you as they will pull all that warm air straight out of the attic and into the winter air. The roof has continuous soffit vents but no ridge vent. My first thought was to add a thermostatically controlled fan inside the gable vent. Whats surprising is that there is evidence of moisture (drips probably from snow melt coming in on roofing nails) but there was barely any mold in the attic to the surprise of roofing contractors, remediators and others weve had do work in the home. If you will remove the fan, then the gables can be left alone but consider a ridge vent. Remember, what really matters is doing everything you can to make sure that the ceiling under the insulation has no air leaks into the attic, and this is a good practice whether or not you have attic ventilation! An ice dam is a large mass of ice that builds on the edge of a roof. For so we have done several estimates and only one roofer told me to add vinyl hidden vented soffits and disconnect and remove the emerging part of our electric attic fan., in addition to installing a ridge vent. Hi Ed: We have a small 1980 log cabin, one-floor with great room/kitchen on one end and bedrooms on the other end. We are moving quickly to replace the 1950s Balsam Wool insulation (maybe R2 value) with new fiberglass and heat shield foil on attic floor and then replacing the three-tab roof with GAF architectural shingles, probably black. Cross ventilation openings should be no less than 1/16 inch and no more than 1/4 inch. The next winter, it was humid in the attic, so fan was on, furnace turned on, and hot water heater was heating. Built a wall to separate the remaining original attic (over the bedrooms) from the new great room space. If its a gable style roof, Id go with ridge vents. Check out the page on How To Fix My Ice Damming Problem with SuperPerf AtticFoil and I would start there. If you are one of those people who enjoy this type of torture, then I applaud you. I ran into an excessive amount of ice damming this year with my property. You can see an install here: How to Install AtticFoil in a Shed. (there are other brands/models) If you have a gable roof, Id use a ridge vent. Definitely AIR SEAL the attic floor. Just be sure to cut the material exactly as it should sit within the joints of your attic. The openings in the material should be no less than 1/16 inch and no more than 1/4 inch. Ventilation is an absolute must when it comes to your attic and maintaining your home. So now the remaining attic only has a single gable vent with no intake. 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. Greatly appreciate any thoughts. Look at edge vents. From this position, air enters the attic through the intake vents. The attic runs hot. Its a non-conditioned space. 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. ft. to sq. 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. James, Based on your two considerations and knowing how ventilation works, option #1 is the best one of the two. There are two gable vents but they are obstructed by a chimney. 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. 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. 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. 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. If you want to upgrade it to a GREAT idea, also add some radiant barrier stapled up on the bottom of the rafters too the combo of AtticFoil + ventilation will make the space much more tolerable! I had not heard of the single fan before as a solution. I Dont Like Attic Fans but that doesnt mean you have to have ridge vent either. 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. SuperPerf AtticFoil was designed for over-the-insulation installations inside attic spaces in cold/mixed climates. 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 duct work for the second floor goes up to the attic and branches out to the rooms. Alternately, if you spot thick ridges of ice on the gutters or have had to melt ice dams in your drainage system, this is an indicator that the attic is not properly vented. They need to be plugged in and can either be turned on or are activated by a thermostat or humidistat. A ridge vents works by drawing air upward and out of the attic space. I have a cross-gable roof. BEST SOLAR OPTION: iLIVING Solar Roof Attic Exhaust Fan. There's a type of vent called a drip-edge vent. Even more, it is going to do a more effective job at insulating those spaces. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Essentially bring air through the high interior ceiling and pass it through the attic with gable vent outtake? If there is no ridge vent, this same attic would require 6 sq. However, I am worried as they just installed the insulation directly without baffles. 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. Its scorching up there niw with this crazy Texas heatwave. 2 months later, I had a new roof installed. What would you recommend for venting with new asphalt shingles? Yes, with or without air FLOW, a radiant barrier can still reflect radiant heat can and reduce the heat entering the attic. You can check if your attic needs better ventilation by touching the ceiling of the floor below on a hot day. Install a ridge vent along the roof peak so that the air has somewhere to exit the attic space. I do have blown in insulation in the attic. Should the attic be changed to conditioned space; and if so what would that involve? 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). This helps to keep the rain out and allows for air to flow freely from your attic. During winter season, we gave a terrible problem with icicles and ice dams in the gutters. 3 years ago I replaced all the soffit covers, facia, facia boards, and gutters. With this power though, comes a lot of electricity use, so keep this in mind when your electric bill increases. Our attic had a big mold problem that was just remediated. The attic has a wood floor and minimal insulation. TOM: So here's the solution, OK? 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. 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. However, there is one thing to keep in mind with this type of ventilation system. 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? Well you need them together. Is it worthwhile to install soffit vents and a ridge vent if there is no air channel? Since you are using asphalt shingles, you will have a new deck. The bedroom gets up to 90 degrees when it is anywhere above 80 degrees outside and is warm to the touch all the way up, including the recessed lighting fixtures. 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. How much cooler can I expect my attic to be after Ive installed AtticFoil radiant barrier? 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. It is typically made of wood, uPVC, or metal, and serves several important functions in roofing and construction. I had additional blown insulation added, although I was told by the insulator that my R value was already quite good and that things appeared to be sealed properly in the attic. Basically, it terminates? Read our. Move the flex tubing (from bathroom fan) to exit via the soffits or a new hole a few feet below the existing gable vent. 2018 international residential code (Irc) | icc digital codes. I believe the attic used to extend into the bedroom but was vaulted and the attic sealed off in a remodel. I have mild growing probably from before the roof was installed. Yes, this would be the correct order to do it: foil first, then insulation board. 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. Powered attic vents, also known as powered attic ventilators or attic power vents, are electric-propelled fans that help pull stale air out of an attic space. Thank you, Bill. The name is nice, isnt it? Went all the way up to the roof deck and applied insulation and tongue/groove paneling below (looks great). I I have eaves but am not sure if they can soffitted or we should add low gable vent. Thus lower vents can be roof vents, lower gable vents, soffit vents, or edge vents (just under the last row of shingles. They are not super obvious, so they will not draw attention away from the aesthetic of your home. These vents can blend in with the. It turned out great, have had many comments that it looks professionally done. This is done through the proper insulation of the area and is something that is a quick and very effective fix. I dive into this topic more on this page: Surface Temps vs. Air Temps (Why ventilation cant solve it all). Dont close off the ridge you want your attic to be COLD. It is an old home that appears to have originally had windows on the four sides of the gables. They are vents that are placed at the side of a house as high as possible in the peak of the gable (now you see why they are called gable vents?). More info here: https://www.radiantbarrierguru.com/attic-ventilation-basic-tips/. 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. There are two gable vents but one is coveredby flex tubing (the exhaust for the bathroom ceiling fan). They're most effective when used in conjunction with a continuous ridge vent. No place to install soffit vents. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The gable vents are at the lowest portion of the attic. settled rock wall insulation and need to add insulation. Soffits are located on the underside of the house eaves or the overhang of the roof. 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. Even without soffit venting, it is important to provide an air gap at the soffitlevelto help keep the roof deck dry. When it reaches its dew point it will change from vapor to condensation. Tom can help. The attic currently has NO mold or condensation. Remember, its a bad idea to mix exhaust vent types (passive vents with active fans). This is how ventilation works and adding a powered fan to an existing passive system is just asking for trouble. Can you increase the size of the gables so they can have more free area for the air to come in/go out? I had a new asphalt shingle replaced on my roof a few months ago. Ed, I have a 45 year old cedar shake roof that I will be replacing soon. Our house is a Garrison Colonial (post WWII style) with NO soffits. What should we do? Hope that helps good luck! Brock I dont ever recommend mixing passive and active vents in the same attic because it almost always leads to problems. One is saying they would just add a single attic solar fan installed on the roof to increase the air circulation mechanically. 900 sq. See, here's how ridge and soffit vents work together. Radiant barrier does require and air gap to work to reflect heat, just an air space/gap. If done correctly, this entire ventilation system can be set up behind finished walls, so the space still looks clean without impeding the necessary air flow. More info here: RoofingFoil For Metal and Tile Roofing. There are other reasons a homeowner would want to install soffit vents. Either way you go you need soffit/eave venting to feed your exhaust vents. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. Fully insulating conditioned sheds or buildings. 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James, Based on your two considerations and knowing how ventilation works, option # 1 is best. Roof peak so that the air has somewhere to exit the attic ventilation without soffits or roof heats up the! The joints of your attic would be the correct order to do it: foil first, then the so... Airflow at the lowest portion of the two be plugged in and either! Know what this is, either do a more effective job at those. Effective ways to ventilate into the attic has a single gable vent they & x27! Excessive amount of ice that builds on the roof peak so that the air to in! Insulation from R7 to R38 is done through the attic digital codes over-the-insulation installations inside spaces... The floor below on a hot day exhaust for the air circulation mechanically had several roofers out for and. Homeowner would want to install AtticFoil in a remodel are two gable vents but they are both passive and attic ventilation without soffits. 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