How Hot Should Attic Soffit Vents Restricted

Almost all homes are fitted with some kind of roof vents at the peak of the roofline be it individual roof vents hip roof ventilation and many homes have gable vents as well.
How hot should attic soffit vents restricted. Your vents should be larger if you have a large attic and thus your vents can be smaller if you have a smaller attic. Space the holes 12 to 14 in. Step 5 attach the vent to the soffit photo by merle henkenius. This article explains the effects on buildings caused by locked soffit intake vents and we explain how blocked soffit venting causes or contributes to attic condensation moisture and potential mold contamination problems in buildings.
Taking advantage of this natural process referred to as passive ventilation is the most common way to vent an attic. Dwight barnett is a certified master inspector with the american. And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature. There are a number of different types of vents to choose from so getting the ones to suit you should not be difficult although you will still need to work out how many to purchase.
If the home already has a fan roof vents or gable vents these should be blocked and sealed from the attic side of the home. An unventilated attic can reach 150 degrees in the heat of summer 50 degrees higher than it should be. A soffit vent is simply a vent installed into the underside of your home s eaves called the soffit that permits fresh outside air to be drawn up into the attic. Soffit vents are vital in keeping air flowing throughout your attic space.
The next area of ventilation that makes an impact on your attic s temperature are the intake vents or soffit vents. Even if you have vents in your roof you still need to have soffit vents to allow the air to circulate naturally. Most effective ventilation uses a ridge and soffit continuous ventilation system but even these designs can vary from roof to roof. These vents are located at the underside of your roof the edge of the home.
Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Once the air enters the soffit it usually proceeds through an air chute or some other opening along the underside of the roof into the attic where it helps push warm attic air out the roof vents see how attic. Use a cordless drill driver to secure the vent to the soffit with in long no. Blocked or inadequate roof ventilation air intake openings at soffits or eaves.
With the help of an assistant raise the vent up to the soffit and center it over the cutout slot.