Attic Ventilation Services

Proper attic ventilation is crucial for maintaining a comfortable home environment, especially during the hot summer months. Our expert solutions include the installation of baffles, solar attic fans, and bath fan exhausts, all designed to promote fresh air flow and effectively reduce extreme temperatures in the attic. By improving attic ventilation, we help create a cooler and more comfortable living space for you and your family.
Attic Ventilation Contractor in Chicago
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Solar Power Attic Fan
Attic Baffles
Bath Fan Exhaust

How to Properly Vent an Attic

1. Look for vents. There should be vents in the soffits (the underside of the eaves) and at the peak of the roof. If you don't see any vents, or if they're blocked, then your attic is not properly vented.
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.
Insulation & Ventilation Terms
How to Properly Vent an Attic

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Before Reading More

Consider scheduling a free insulation and ventilation evaluation with our insulation experts. We will assess temperatures and humidity in the attic & evaluate the improvements you can make to your current ventilation to improve efficiency and air quality.
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Reduce Condensation In Your Home

Proper home ventilation prevents condensation buildup

Stopping condensation is essential for maintaining a healthy and comfortable living environment. By implementing proper insulation and ventilation techniques, you can effectively reduce and prevent condensation buildup in your home. This helps to prevent issues such as mold growth, water damage, and deteriorating indoor air quality.
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Ventilation is crucial combined with solar fan and passive vents

Each category of ventilation is essential and if all 5 can be utilized that would be ideal. However due to structural considerations you may only get two or three types. If you have the option cross gable ventilation has a great performance track record. Cross gable ventilation provides the most efficient air flow and can also be utilized with a power vent at one end of the gable. This is often see in grade level large scale parking garages to remove carbon dioxide from vehicle exhaust. Soffit vents can be replaced with low profile vents near the bottom of the roof if there are no overhangs for air intake. Ventilation is crucial combined with solar fan and passive vents, the attic can remain as close to outside temperature as possible.
house insulation road map
Soffit Vents / Ridge 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

Our comprehensive range of ventilation options ensures optimal air flow and climate control for your home. From cross gable ventilation and soffit vents to power vents, continuous ridge vents, and passive roof vents, we offer effective solutions tailored to your specific needs. With the addition of solar fans for fresh air intake and exhaust, you can enjoy a cooler and more comfortable living environment while reducing energy consumption. Trust our expertise in creating a well-ventilated home that promotes better air quality and temperature regulation throughout the year.
Ventilation

1. Cross Gable Ventilation = Natural Air Flow

Cross Ventilation – In This Case Gable Ventilation (Provides Natural Air Flow But Depends on Optimal Natural Air Movement) Pressure / Wind

Cross Ventilation depends on natural air flow so if the homes elevation is not (south) facing for example it will not get adequate pressure from one side to move adequate air through the gable vents. This method of ventilation can be supplemented with electrical or solar powered fans.

Most older homes relied on gable vents, methods shifted towards soffits and mushroom vents was taken up, however; the big mistake we see being made contributing to poor ventilation in this method is fiberglass batts or loose-fill fiberglass blocking air intake of the soffits.

2a. Soffit Vents - Essential Rules for Optimal Performance

See here in this photo is our field supervisor Charlie removing an existing baffle to expose black mold growth as a result of soffit air intake meeting warm air from the attic that un-intentionally escaped from the living space in winter, warming the fiberglass enough to create the condensation ( think cold glass of ice water on a picnic table in the hot summer sun.

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
Attic mold removal and insulation

2b. Soffit Ventilation / Baffles. We install baffles in every joist bay, not just were ventilation is present.

In regard to soffit vents, Green Attic Insulation distinguishes itself from local competitors in one valuable way, we install soffits in every joist bay, not just ” were ventilation is present ” as seen by competitors, leaving the homeowner with less than desirable results. Lets be clear, the entire soffits is an air chute designed to pull air through each joist bay, not just where perforated soffits are present ( which is every 4-8 ft) without air flow across the entire soffit the sheathing will not be optimally cooled.
attic insulation

3. Solar attic fan are active ventilation

Power Vents – Fans Create Active Powered Ventilation / Solar or Electrical
Powered vents can be electrically powered or solar powered. Powered vents can provide more air movement but must be installed with consideration of air flow balance.

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.
Green attic male with branded amunition mounting solar fan on the roof

4. Continuous Ridge Vent is installed at the top of the roof / ridge.

This allows outward air flow along the top of the roof. Look at your neighborhood, each house with a raised 1-2″ peak on the ridge has one already.Continuous means end to end ventilation.Since air movement is the key to good ventilation, it must have an air intake source in order to be effective.

Most new re-roofs include the upgrade to continuous ridge vents but must take into account air movement / balance.
continuous ridge vent

5. Passive vents are not to be confused with the need for active powered ventilation.

Cap Vents / Mushroom Vents / Passive Roof Vents
Passive mushroom vents are less common in new construction as the continuous ridge vent is replacing them as it provides less penetrations and more air flow. Passive vents are also outtake vents and are designed to allow warm air to escape naturally in summer, and prevent a moist environment in winter.

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.
Passive mushroom vents

6. Attic Solar Fan is the best way to generate fresh air intake and exhaust.

Each home is unique, and each homeowner has specific needs, that being said, there are some simple truths to follow when it comes to ventilation.

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.
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Mounted Solar fan on roof
attic insulation

Conclusion

Ventilation depends on active or passive vents which draw fresh outside air into the vented attic space to prevent mold growth from humidity and condensation and prevent uneven temperatures relative to outside temperatures.

The attic should be the same or as close to outside temperature as possible. Schedule a free estimate today and have a member of our team visit your attic and evaluate the humidity and temperature control of your vents.
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