Does My Attic Need More Ventilation

The downside of attic ventilation fans.

Does my attic need more ventilation.

Solar fans are powered by the sun so they don t require electricity to operate. In other words the entire vent opening doesn t count as vented space. Taking advantage of this natural process referred to as passive ventilation is the most common way to vent an attic. Attic will need 10 sq.

Air flows in through the soffit vents and out through the roof vents. Because this type of fan blows so much hot air out of the attic it often requires additional intake ventilation to replace the air such as a gable vent on the opposite side of the attic. Grab a flashlight and inspect your attic during the winter. Homes do not have proper roof ventilation which can lead to severe roof damage.

In some circumstances you can have less but we recommend the 1 150 ratio. Enter square footage calculate or enter the square footage of the attic or area to be vented. You can also contact your local municipality to check on building code in your area. Most building codes require 1 sq.

The federal housing administration recommends at least 1 square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic space. For the best results place roof ventilation near the roof s peak and soffit vents in the eaves. Of venting technically net free vent area or nfva for each 150 sq. In order to facilitate this exchange of warm and cool air the general rule of.

Ventilation of attic spaces is required by most building codes as well as by roofing material manufacturers and the national roofing contractors association nrca. Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool. Roofing experts say the majority of u s. If you see dampness or frost you need better roof ventilation and some attic vents.

Most building codes require a ratio of 1 150 ventilation space to attic floor space. That said air resistance and interference such as vent grates reduces the area of true ventilation. Let owens corning roofing help you calculate exactly how much ventilation you will need for a healthy and balanced attic with our 4 step ventilation calculator. Of venting ideally about half placed high on the roof and half in the soffits.

If that air lingers it can cause condensation on the underside of the roof sheathing which can lead to wood rot and mold growth. So a house with a 1 500 sq ft.