Soffit vents how many do i need

Here the volume of the intaken air is the same as that of the exited air, there is no way the attic will develop a positive pressure due to the excess number of soffit vents. In the case of an active ventilation system ie, when you have attic fans, the amount of air intake is regulated by the size of the fans. If you have a very powerful fan, having some extra soffit vents will balance out any negative pressure created in the attic.

You can read more about this in my post here. Installation of soffit vents is pretty easy especially if you have a broad soffit area.

There are 3 types of soffit vents; rectangular, circular, and continuous. You can use any of these three for the roof. It is recommended to add the vents in between the rafters of the roof and away from foam insulation to get unobstructed airflow. Step 1: Calculate the soffit vent size using the calculation above. Make sure that you account for the net free area of the soffit cover. Step 2: Calculate how many soffit vents are needed based on the size of the soffit covers you bought.

Step 3: Cut vents on the soffit based on the vent area needed and the size of the cover. The size of each vent should be smaller than the vent cover. Soffit vents can be used on a flat roof for fresh air intake. Flat and low slope roofs are difficult to ventilate when compared to regular roofs.

This is because in a flat roof there is no or little chimney effect to properly exhaust the hot air. A flat roof is mainly ventilated using exhaust fans. But for the exhaust fans to work, there must be air intake, and soffit vents are the only option here. Soffit vents are not required by code, any type of intake vents will do.

If not, you should have one square foot of roof vent for every square feet, or In short the answer is no for most houses as shown in this picture; you see that open space — well that allows air to flow from one bay to another. Now if those rafter tails are blocked off or you used I-Joists, then the answer is that yes you need soffit venting in each bay. Also to know is, Can you have too many roof vents? Subsequently, question is, What is the purpose of soffit vents?

Soffit vents are roof ventilation devices installed underneath the eaves of a roof that extend past the warm wall line. When properly combined with other roof ventilation devices, soffit vents allow fresh air to enter into an attic creating air flow. If you plan to install insulation on your attic floor, then most building codes require that the attic be vented. The general rule of thumb in these situations is of roughly one vent per every square feet of attic area if the attic has a vapor barrier.

If not, there should be one vent for every square feet. You will need to have 1 square foot of vent area for every square feet of attic space. More Attic Ventilation is Good Insufficient ventilation can lead to moisture problems during the winter and decreased energy efficiency during the summer but too much ventilation can be just as bad, if not worse.

Ideally, half the vents should be located in the soffit at the bottom of the roof and half in gable or ridge vents near the top to allow for natural circulation of air through the attic. Ridge vents are more labor intensive to install. Ridge vents are best for roofs with an appropriate peak. Box vents are installed over holes cut in the roof. But to be sure, you might want to check the building codes of your city. There you will see if there are other rules regarding soffit vents, especially for residential roofing.

You may also consult companies in your state and ask if they can give you a quote for soffit vents needed for your house. They can even send roofing professionals to your location and assess how many soffits you need. Soffit vents also come into different types. Check these out to know what soffit vent type you will need for your home and help you decide which type will work for your attic.

Round vents are known to constantly interrupt the flow of your roof and experience more damage during the storm. Make sure that round vents must always fit the round shape in your attic before installing them. The Aluminum Soffit vents usually come in round shapes and different colors. You can choose between a brown, black, or white finish. You can also choose a refined look. If you want something that comes with a beautiful finished look, go for copper round soffit vents.

The beautiful copper color adds design to your home. Continuous soffit vents tend to give fantastic ventilation in soffit areas of your roof. These vents are usually recommended to provide a continuous style to your attic and better ventilation to your roof.