By Mark J. Donovan
A cooler attic helps to extend the life of the roofing shingles as well
as provide a more temperate environment in the home's living space.
An attic ventilation system also helps to maintain a lower humidity
level in the attic thus preventing the threat of mold and mildew growth.
Also, by eliminating the warm moist air during the winter months, ice dams
can be prevented with an attic ventilation system.
The standard ratio of soffit vent to ridge vent is 1:300
when using continuous venting systems such as ridge vent and soffit
vent to create an attic ventilation system. 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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