How Does Attic Ventilation Work

It helps minimize the impact of ice damming.

How does attic ventilation work. The purpose of attic ventilation is so that heat can leave the attic when the air conditioner turns on and is trying to circulate cold air around the house. Most effective ventilation uses a ridge and soffit continuous ventilation system but even these designs can vary from roof to roof. In cold climates the primary purpose of attic or roof ventilation is to maintain a cold roof temperature to control ice dams created by melting snow and to vent moisture that moves from the conditioned space to the attic ventilation acts to bypass the vapour barrier created by most roof membranes. It promotes a cool dry attic.

Proper attic ventilation offers all these benefits. Fresh air is pulled in from your soffits and or roof vent creating a draft through your attic. How an attic fan works attic fans exhaust hot air from your attic to the outside. An attic ventilator is essentially a port where air can escape to the outdoors.

But with proper ventilation you can at least bring those temperatures down to match that of the outdoor air. When it is cold outside the ventilation system will work by maintaining the cold temperature so that ice will not melt on the roof and create ice dams. About attic ventilation natural attic ventilation. With no air conditioning vents pumping in cool air and the hot sun beating down on the roof right over your head attic temperatures can soar.

Certain types of vents actually trap air in the top of your attic. It allows outside air to flow naturally upward and out of attic. It allows hot air to escape in the summer and can also help reduce the chances of ice damage in the winter by allowing a natural flow of outdoor air to ventilate the attic. Are ridge vents better.

At first it may seem odd to add insulation for warmth and then purposely allow cold air to. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool air to enter the attic. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape.

Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents. Roof vents remove wintertime s heated air. If you have too much attic ventilation you may also have too much roof penetration which can cause blowouts during a hurricane. Soffit vents may leave air trapped at the top of your attic.

Static roof line vents are effective for ventilation but generally aren t recommended due to issues with leaks. It helps prevent moisture from becoming trapped in insulation structural wood shingles and roof deck it.