Proper Roof Ventilation Tips

Proper attic ventilation attics should be insulated to r 38 which is approximately eighteen inches of insulation material.

Proper roof ventilation tips. If there are portions of insulation that have been eroded down don t just slap some extra material on top. You ll first need to consider whether or not your house s roof needs ventilation. The amount of space you devote to intake must be equal to the amount you allow for exhaust and these must be calculated according to the size of your attic and slope of your roof. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave.

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. The option you choose will be contingent on factors such as the type of roof you re working with and the local climate. The key to proper ventilation of your roof and attic is balance. If you re not following proper roofing ventilation tips warm air will become trapped in your home and cause issues that can lead to costly repairs which we ll cover in the signs of poor roof ventilation section.

A hot ceiling tells you that the attic is acting like a solar oven. Look at your eaves and roof. Here are four signs of an unventilated or under ventilated attic. If your home is fitted solely with small gable end vents or a ventilator high in the roof you might want to consider adding soffit vents to increase airflow.

Touch your ceiling on a warm sunny day. A ridge vent is a ventilation strip that is placed along the ridgeline of the home. Improving your roof ventilation will help keep your roof and the rest of your home in prime condition. You can calculate attic ventilation requirements by determining the square footage of your attic floor its width times its length and compare that to the total required net free area nfa.

Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool. Proper ventilation helps keep the roof from getting too warm by removing warm air that rises from the conditioned living space below. If this warm air is not removed it warms the roof which can begin melting the snow and start the subsequent thaw freeze cycle. If it does you ll have to decide what type of vents will work best and how to properly install them.

If you don t see any attic vents on the roof or in the eaves you need to add some. Prior to installing the ridge vent a 1 inch wide strip of roof decking is cut out along both sides of the ridgeline to allow for air movement through the vent. Most effective ventilation uses a ridge and soffit continuous ventilation system but even these designs can vary from roof to roof.