Attic Ventilation Services
How to Properly Vent an Attic
2. Feel the ceiling. On a hot day, if the ceiling feels warm, then your attic is not properly vented. The heat from the attic is being transferred to the living space below, which can make your home uncomfortable and increase your energy bills.
3. Look for signs of moisture. If you see moisture on the rafters, insulation, or other surfaces in the attic, then this is a sign that your attic is not properly vented. Moisture can lead to mold growth, which can damage your home and your health.
4. Check for ice dams. In the winter, if you see ice dams forming on your gutters, this is a sign that your attic is not properly vented. Ice dams form when warm air from the living space below melts the snow on the roof, and then the melted snow refreezes on the eaves. This can damage your gutters and roof, and it can also lead to water leaks into your home.
5. Baffles: These are typically installed at the eaves to maintain a clear air path from the soffit vents into the attic. If you have insulation in your attic, make sure it's not blocking the soffit vents.
Proper home ventilation prevents condensation buildup
Ventilation is crucial combined with solar fan and passive vents
✓ Power Vents / Solar or electric
✓ Gable Vents
✓ Bath Fan / Kitchen Fan Exhaust Vents
✓ Fan Vents / Passive mushroom Vents / Roof vents
Optimal Ventilation Solutions for Improved Air Flow and Climate Control
2a. Soffit Vents - Essential Rules for Optimal Performance
Ventilation from the soffits must serve some better purpose than to be trapped behind insulation or to be directed into the wrong areas of the attic with no air flow balance.
Air flow balance is essential to a healthy vented attic
2b. Soffit Ventilation / Baffles. We install baffles in every joist bay, not just were ventilation is present.
3. Solar attic fan are active ventilation
Considerations for vents are calculations to determine the minimum required net free ventilating area (NFVA) using the 1:300 ratio or 1: 600 of upper attic area. This is only possible when the soffits are open and baffles are properly installed to prevent insulation from clogging the soffits.
4. Continuous Ridge Vent is installed at the top of the roof / ridge.
Most new re-roofs include the upgrade to continuous ridge vents but must take into account air movement / balance.
5. Passive vents are not to be confused with the need for active powered ventilation.
Passive vents are not to be confused with active powered ventilation. In each case, a vented attic must perform in conjunction with a completely sealed attic floor to prevent air intake from the conditioned living space.
6. Attic Solar Fan is the best way to generate fresh air intake and exhaust.
1. In a vented unconditioned attic you can never have too much ventilation; the goal of a vented attic is to keep the attic as close to exterior temperature as possible
2. In a conditioned / semi-conditioned attic, keeping outside air from getting in is equally essential to the air quality and health of the organic building materials.
A Solar Attic Fan is the best way to generate fresh air intake and exhaust. It is powered by the sun and runs whenever there is direct sunlight, keeping your upstairs cooler in the summer.