Does Attic Ventilation Work

Your home s roof and attic was most likely designed with just the right amount of fresh air it needs.

Does attic ventilation work.

It allows outside air to flow naturally upward and out of attic. A retrofit example that works. 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. Static roof line vents are effective for ventilation but generally aren t recommended due to issues with leaks.

Proper attic ventilation offers all these benefits. An attic fan works by drawing in cool air to the attic space that pushes out the hot air through vents. Soffits gable vents without fans and rafter vents are passive ventilation systems to keep your roof and attic healthy. The model building codes allow both vented and unvented roof assemblies.

However if your attic has blocked soffit vents and is not well sealed from the rest of the house attic fans will suck cool conditioned air up out of the house and into the attic. Are ridge vents better. The attic fans are fitted with thermostats that will switch on and off the fan depending on the homeowner s preference. When it is cold outside the ventilation system will work by maintaining the cold temperature so that ice will not melt on the roof and create ice dams.

Strong attic fans can actually back draft furnaces or water heaters by pulling combustion gases out of their burnersand into the home. It helps minimize the impact of ice damming. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Soffit vents may leave air trapped at the top of your attic.

Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents soffit and gable and pushing hot air to the outside. In such doing the attic fan will reduce the temperature in the attic space that in turn cools down the whole house. It helps prevent moisture from becoming trapped in insulation structural wood shingles and roof deck. Good attic ventilation is excellent for preventing moisture and condensation but it is usually not enough for cooling in the summertime.

The purpose of attic ventilation is so that heat can leave the attic when the air conditioner turns on and is trying to circulate cold air around the house. It promotes a cool dry attic. Some may also argue that an attic fan helps in the ventilation of your roof and or attic. Heat in the attic can roast shingles from below causing them to wear prematurely.

Most effective ventilation uses a ridge and soffit continuous ventilation system but even these designs can vary from roof to roof. The choice of venting or not venting is a design and construction choice not a requirement determined by the physics or by the building code.