attic ventilation

Users who are viewing this thread

Barry J

Member
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Mass
I was told be my neighbor that you were not suppose to have gable vents and ridge vents in your attic, he said one or the other because it wouldn't vent correctly. I didn't understand his logic..is he full of it???
thanks, Barry
 

Barry J

Member
Messages
118
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Mass
well this week I been having siding put on my house, by a licensed contractor, (who is very reputable) that my father knows (He's an electrician)
So, I figurered he wouldn't have done it if it was wrong.
My neighbor was just having his roof done, this week, and that is what the guys doing his roof told him. They said they were talking to an "engineer", and he said that to be true.
Keep in mind, when i asked where he found these guys, that were working on his roof, he told me they frequent the bar that his girlfriend works at.
So, i always take what is told to me, with a grain of salt....a big grain
 

Frenchie

Jack of all trades
Messages
1,239
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Location
Brooklyn, NY and Fire Island, NY
Depends, actually.

Depending on your climate, you can get air movement happening on only the top 1/2 of the air in your attic - short-cut from the gables to the ridge - and the soffit vents don't draw air like they're supposed to.
 

Drick

In the Trades
Messages
460
Reaction score
19
Points
18
He is not full of it.

If you have a ridge vent and soffit vents you should not have gable vents. The reason is as follows: Warm air rises - so as cool air enters through the soffit vent and as the air is warmed by heat loss from the house or sun on the roof the air will rise up and exit the roof vent removing not only heat, but more importantly moisture.

Your ridge vents and soffit vents should run the entire length of the roof line to be fully effective. This will allow the air to flow upwards from the soffit vents evenly, removing moisture from the attic and exiting at the ridge vent.

Gable vents can interfere with this even upward movement of air by providing a short cut from the cool air to enter through and thereby weaken the draw from the soffit vents below. With gable vents cool air can enter through them, warm up, and then exit the ridge vent. The soffit vents will have less draw because cool air is entering through the gable vents. This reduces the ability of your attic to effectively remove moisture evenly throughout the attic, and moisture can equal mold in the attic!

Ridge vents do have one problem - they don't work when they are covered in snow. When this happens moisture can become trapped in the attic an lead to a phenomenon known as attic rain where moisture condenses on the coldest part of your attic roof (usually the nails tips from the shingles) and then falls back down making your insulation wet and thereby reducing its R value. So try to keep your ridge vents clear of snow (I know easier said then done)

Hope this helps
-rick
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks