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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

WHY PROPER ATTIC VENTILATION IS IMPORTANT

The Importance of Proper Attic Ventilation

Your home generates moisture every day: cooking, showering, and even normal breathing all create moisture that can find its way up to your attic.  Without proper attic ventilation, that moisture has nowhere to go.  Once trapped, it can damage your interior spaces and reduce the effectiveness of your attic insulation.  It can even contribute to the overall deterioration of your roof system and structural supports over time.

Ventilating your attic space allows that interior moisture, along with hot air, to be exhausted near the top of the roof through ridge vents, roof louvers, powered vents, or other exhaust vents.  Fresh air can also enter the attic along the soffits and eaves.  This is referred to as intake ventilation. I n order for that moisture and heat to escape through the exhaust vents, fresh, cooler air must be allowed to enter the lowest portion of the attic, at or near the soffits or overhangs.

The key to effectively ventilating your attic lies not only in ensuring you have enough attic ventilation for your particular home but finding the proper balance of intake versus exhaust ventilation. The U.S. Housing Authority recommends a minimum of at least 1 square foot of attic ventilation, evenly split between intake and exhaust, for every 300 square feet of attic floor space.

Benefits of Proper Attic Ventilation

Though they may vary depending on your area and the season, there are some significant benefits to having a well-ventilated attic.

• Helps lower attic temperature.  Proper attic ventilation supports a strong roof system.  A balanced and effective attic ventilation system helps exhaust superheated air from the attic, which could save your air-conditioning system from having to work as hard in the summer.

• Reduces the risk of ice dams.  In colder climates, proper ventilation can help prevent ice damming.  Allowing cold winter air to pass through the attic keeps your roof’s temperature cooler, and helps prevent the cycle of snow melting and refreezing that can cause damaging ice dams.

• Helps protect your roof system.  Heat and moisture buildup can add stress to the shingles and other parts of your roof system, potentially causing premature deterioration.  A balanced and effective attic ventilation system allows cooler, fresh air to enter the attic, forcing out superheated air, which helps protect your roofing system.

Remember, a well-ventilated attic contributes to the overall longevity and efficiency of your home.  If you’re unsure about your attic’s ventilation, consult with a professional to assess and improve it.

Venting With Soffits

One of the most common intake vent options is soffit venting.  Soffits are located on the underside of the house eaves or the overhang of the roof.  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.

Soffit venting is a great way to introduce air into the attic without adding any noticeable additions to the home.  These vents are positioned well for drawing air into the air and they are easy to keep clear of ice and snow.  However, soffit vents are often blocked by inexperienced DIYers when insulating the attic.  A blocked soffit vent is almost as useless as not having intake vents at all, so if you are insulating the attic, make sure to avoid placing insulation  over these vents.

Venting Without Soffits

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.  You can also invest in gable venting or shingle venting to increase air flow inside the attic and improve attic ventilation.  Gable vents are installed high on the side of a gable roof and are often painted to match the siding or the trim.  Depending on the exact placement and the current wind direction, gable vents can act as both intake and exhaust 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.  These vents have a long, thin appearance, that is made to blend in with the surrounding shingles.  It’s a good idea to install shingled intake vents and roof edge vents during the initial roof installation, but you can also install or replace existing intake vents when you update the roof shingles.

Exhaust Vents

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.  Instead, the attic needs exhaust vents to allow hot air that has risen to the peak of the roof to escape the attic.  The most common exhaust vents are ridge vents, static vents, turbine vents, and powered vents.

• Ridge vents are popular options for those that want to camouflage the attic ventilation system. They run the entire length of the roof along the ridge and consist of a perforated vent that covers a narrow gap in the sheathing along the length of the ridge. Another passive exhaust vent option is a static vent.

• Static vents are essentially openings in the roof that have a raised square or circular covering. Perforated vents run around the narrow gap between the opening and the raised covering to allow hot air to exit the attic.

• Turbine vents work in a similar way to static vents, but they have an enclosed fan that relies on wind for power. When even a light breeze hits the fan, it causes the blades to rotate, helping to pull hot air out of the attic space.

• Powered vents operate with electricity or solar energy. If your attic has issues venting hot air, you may want to consider installing a powered exhaust vent. When the temperature inside the attic reaches a set number the exhaust fan turns on, pulling hot air out of the attic.

Venting Finished Attics

Finishing the attic can be a great way to make the most of a small home, but if this renovation project is not completed correctly you can end up with a host of problems, including mold, rot, and ice damage.  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.

Instead, plan on ventilating the finished attic space with rafter venting.  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 air flows through the rafter vents to the peak of the roof.  Install a ridge vent along the roof peak so that the air has somewhere to exit the attic space.  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.