Finishing Attic With Soffit Vents

Roofing attic ventilation.

Finishing attic with soffit vents.

The answer is rafter venting. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave. They re most effective when used in conjunction with a continuous ridge vent. Air chutes when combined with soffit vents and a ridge vent will help prevent problems with condensation and ice dams.

This method won t work where rafter spaces stop short such as in a valley or in the corner of a hip roof. Beige bisque 1 black 1 brown tan 4 white 8 net free area sq. Resin circular mini wall louver soffit vent in white 4 pack model rlsc4 view the master flow intake. Cut holes for soffit vents with a jigsaw.

They come in 4 ft. Make the hole dimensions 1 in. This is called passive ventilation. The most common way to add ventilation to an attic is by installing air intakes in the soffits and putting an outlet at the gable of the house.

Venting both the attic with eave vents and the soffit with vent systems increases air circulation and prevents this problem. In addition insulation baffles must be installed at the point where the attic floor meets the roofline to prevent the attic insulation from migrating into the cavities and restricting the airflow from the soffit vents. This article explains the effects on buildings caused by locked soffit intake vents and we explain how blocked soffit venting causes or contributes to attic condensation moisture and potential mold contamination problems in buildings. Shop 12 3 results for ventilation.

Plan to place an equal number of soffit vents on both sides of the house evenly spaced along the soffits. Look for nails and seams in the soffit that indicate framing locations and avoid placing vents over the framing. Lengths and 14 1 2 and 22 1 2 in. Smaller than the length and width of the vent.

Air chutes work only when the rafter spaces run from the soffit to the ridge. Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. Master flow 4 in. In 1 5 1 16.

They re readily available at home centers and they re cheap. One solution is to use the natural circulation caused by hot air rising to bring fresh air into the attic through soffit vents under the eaves then expel the hot air through ridge or gable vents near the peak of the roof. Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles including small round discs and rectangular grilles. Soffit installation is fairly easy even for a first timer.

Ventilation not only prevents ice dams but helps reduce heat build up in the summer. The soffit vents allow convective air movement from the soffits of the residence to the ridge vent.