Attic Ventilation Soffit Ridge Balance

The soffit vents allow convective air movement from the soffits of the residence to the ridge vent.

Attic ventilation soffit ridge balance.

Attic ventilation soffit intake to ridge outlet air flow or square inches ratio. Cor a vent ridge soffit vent products. They re most effective when used in conjunction with a continuous ridge vent. Adding under roof ventilation is usually a great idea but if the relative sizes of the intake and outlet vents are not proper the building will suffer increased heat loss and thus an unnecessarily high home heating bill.

Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles including small round discs and rectangular grilles. Moisture in the attic can cause mold to grow and the wood can rot so air circulation is very important. They are easy to install under the roof s overhang which is known as the soffit are generally hidden from sight and provide excellent protection from weather outdoor debris and pests while still allowing air to flow into the attic. Where the location of wall or roof framing members conflicts.

Outside air enters the attic space through soffit or eave vents rises through the attic space as it warms and exits through vents that are positioned at or near the top. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave. 1 being out of balance. Basically for every square inch of ridge exhaust vent you must balance it with at least one square inch or more of soffit intake vent.

Federal housing authority recommends a minimum of at least 1 square foot of attic ventilation evenly split between intake and exhaust for every 300 square feet of attic floor space. Ridge vent balanced ventilation how it works a balanced vent system is one that best utilizes three natural forces. Air pressure the thermal effect and diffusion. Click to enlarge any image.

Learn how to plan a continuous ridge and soffit ventilation system for your attic and how to install soffit vents and other attic venting systems. These specialty vents do not affect the. Continuous or individual soffits. If the attic ventilation system is not a balanced combination of intake vents installed in the soffit under eave or at the roof s bottom edge and exhaust vents installed at or near the roof s peak the attic ventilation system will not be efficient and effective.

Continuous ventilation systems with ridge and soffit vents keep attics dry. Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. The balance of the required ventilation provided shall be located in the bottom one third of the attic space.