How do you vent an old attic?

The most common way to add ventilation to an attic is by installing air intakes in the soffits and putting an outlet at the gable of the house. This creates a natural air flow by drawing in the air from outside, pushing it up and out through the vent at the top of the house. This is called passive ventilation.

What are two common ways to ventilate the attic space?

Balance is the Key There are two methods used to ventilate attics: static and mechanical. The most common method is the static method. This method relies on convection, which is a mode of heat transfer that is caused by the tendency of warmer air to rise.

How do I get more ventilation in my attic?

5 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ATTIC VENTILATION

  1. Assess Your Needs. Before you make any changes, it’s important to determine if your attic actually needs additional ventilation, and if so, how much.
  2. Insert Roof Vents.
  3. Add Soffit Vents.
  4. Install Gable Vents.
  5. Use Fans to Improve Airflow.

Which combination of ventilation is best used for attic ventilation?

In most cases, we recommend soffit vents for intake and a ridge vent for exhaust. For homes that cannot have a ridge vent, box vents are generally the second best option for exhaust. And for homes that cannot have soffit ventilation, you will find that fascia vents to be your second best bet.

Is too much attic ventilation bad?

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. That said, air resistance and interference (such as vent grates) reduces the area of true ventilation.

How can I vent my attic without soffits?

To ventilate your attic without soffits you can use gable vents, eyebrow vents, a venting drip edge, a shingle-over intake vent, wind turbines, or power vents. All are good alternatives if you cannot install soffit vents; however, a very important factor for good ventilation is good insulation.

What happens if your attic is not vented?

But in homes without appropriate insulation and ventilation in the attic, heat migrates. Meanwhile, because hot air is full of moisture, all that water hanging out in your attic is causing condensation to build up. Excess heat and condensation can cause major damage to your roof and roofing materials.

How do you tell if your attic is properly ventilated?

How to determine whether you need better attic ventilation

  1. Look at your eaves and roof.
  2. Touch your ceiling on a warm, sunny day.
  3. Thick ridges of ice on your eaves in winter are a sign of poor attic ventilation.
  4. Warm air that escapes living space also carries moisture that will condense on rafters or roof sheathing.

How can I improve the ventilation in my attic?

Grab a flashlight and inspect your attic during the winter. If you see dampness or frost, you need better roof ventilation and some attic vents. For the best results, place roof ventilation near the roof’s peak and soffit vents in the eaves. Air flows in through the soffit vents and out through the roof vents.

Where do you put vents in the attic?

Install low gable vents located above the top level of the attic ceiling insulation Use “eye-brow” vents that are on the top of the sloping roof surface near the soffit/eave area. Focus on the other ventilation you have in the attic. If you are installing a new roof, consider a drip edge vent.

What are the signs of an under ventilated attic?

Here are four signs of an unventilated or under ventilated attic: Look at your eaves and roof. If you don’t see any attic vents on the roof or in the eaves, you need to add some. Your roof vents may not look anything like the ones shown in this article.

What’s the best way to keep the attic cool?

Gable vents (around $25 each, plus $75 per vent for labor) can lower attic temperatures about 10 degrees; a ridge-and-soffit ventilation system (an extra $200 during reroofing) will reduce attic temperature to around 100 degrees. When reroofing, use white or pale-gray shingles instead of dark ones. These keep the attic cooler than dark shingles.