Attic Ventilation
Ventilation in attics can be an easily overlooked aspect of the home. If people knew that improper ventilation can cause roof deterioration, ice damming, mold, wood rot, expensive electric bills, and insulation damage we would take this subject much more seriously.
Why does attic ventilation matter?
Attic ventilation matters because of humidity and pressure. Let’s start with humidity. In the winter, if warm, moist air is rising from the house into the attic, humidity will get trapped in the attic. This will cause condensation and moisture related problems such as mold, wood rot, and ice damming. In the summer, when the attic heats up(135-160 degrees!) cool air can escape from the home into the attic causing the same effect: condensation. As the air in the attic escapes through the roof caps, the attic will pull air up from the soffits, and attic ceiling penetrations. The air in the home does not simply float up into the attic, but is actively being pulled. This is where pressure comes in. If air is escaping through the top of the attic, negative pressure is being created. This causes positive pressure to occur at the bottom of the attic where the soffit vents and ceiling penetrations are. Every cubic foot of air that leaves through the roof caps needs to be replaced with new air from vents and air leakage in the ceiling.
Home Shield’s 3 Rules of Attic Ventilation
Air seal the attic floor!
When the attic floor is completely and thoroughly air sealed, we can prevent moisture and conditioned air from escaping into the attic. This does not allow the attic to pull up air from the house to replace air that escapes through the roof caps. The attic will pull air through the soffit vents instead.
Have adequate soffit ventilation around the entire perimeter of the attic. More is better than less.
Ensure that properly fitted baffles are installed along the entire perimeter of the attic. Baffles ensure that the soffit vents never get clogged up. We can’t tell you how many attics we have been in that had clogged soffits due to improperly installed insulation, wildlife nests, and unfitted baffles. By installing baffles correctly, we can ensure that the attic can pull the proper amount of air from the soffits. The less the attic is able to pull from the soffit vents, the more the attic will try to pull the air from the house.
Ventilation is more important at the base of the attic than the top.
Having adequate ventilation along the perimeter of the attic floor is more important than at ridge vents or gables. Having more venting at the top of the attic will cause more air to escape, causing more air to be pulled from the living space. Having more ventilation at base from soffits allows for all air to be supplied solely from the soffits and not the living space.
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Attic Encapsulation
Air Sealing and R-49 Cellulose Insulation
Attic Air Sealing
Side Attic Encap and Seal
Whole Home Air Sealing Service
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