Checking Attic For Good Ventilation

An attic reflects the history of a home.

Checking attic for good ventilation.

Good places to check include windows doors and around cable phone or internet lines that run through walls. Attic fans perform this ventilation by pushing hot air out into the environment while also pulling fresh cool air into the attic. To avoid rotting wood clumping insulation and mold your attic needs to be properly ventilated. Most building codes require a ratio of 1 150 ventilation space to attic floor space.

In the winter warm moist air seeps into the attic from the living space below. It s believed that good ventilation in the attic will help prolong the life of shingles by reducing heat which maintains the shingles quality and durability. Moreover if you have asphalt shingles on the roof attic. 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.

In the summer good attic ventilation reduces heat buildup. Good ventilation allows the heat and moisture to escape. Heat in the attic can roast shingles from below causing them to wear prematurely. Attic ventilation gets blamed for a lot of problems that often are not caused by ventilation but rather deeper issues.

You may notice a theme here. Jones has an attic space that measures 23 feet by 48 feet. How to check attic ventilation. The smoke test can give you a good idea of your home s existing attic ventilation but it may take a professional roofing contractor to determine if the amount is sufficient or excessive.

Another important element of attic ventilation is protection for the roof s shingle. This yields a total area of 1 104 square feet. Attic ventilation does not cool your attic substantially nor does attic temperature really matter if the house is fixed from a home performance standpoint. Let s look at the following example.

It can provide clues to serious problems that might not be disclosed or even known by the current owner. The result is a cooler attic space with plenty of air exchange. You can also contact your local municipality to check on building code in your area. That cuts cooling costs and prolongs shingle life.

Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.