By Mark J. Donovan
By keeping the attic cooler and drier the living space of the home can
be maintained at a more comfortable and moderate temperature. A cooler
attic also helps to extend the life of the roofing shingles. Also, by
eliminating warm moist air from the attic during the winter months, attic
mold and mildew growth, and ice dams can be prevented.
Soffit vents are available in continuous strips or in individual
pieces. Individual soffit vents are sold in circular or rectangular form
and are designed to fit in between rafter bays.
It is important to make sure attic insulation does not block the soffit
vents, or otherwise the attic ventilation system will not function.
The standard ratio of soffit vent to ridge vent is 1:300
when using continuous venting systems such as ridge vent and soffit
vent. What this specifically means is that for every 300 square feet of
insulated ceiling space with a vapor barrier, there should be 1 square foot of
attic ventilation. If a vapor barrier is not used with the insulation, or if
non-continuous vents are used, that ratio drops to 1:150. The standard
ratio of soffit vent to ridge vent is 50/50, though some builders prefer a
ratio of 40/60 with 60% being soffit vent.
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