Installing Attic Insulation Vents

Static vents often protrude from roofline thanks to.

Installing attic insulation vents.

If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air. Putting baffles in your attic is a crucial step in installing attic insulation. The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. Installing rafter vents between the rafters along the soffit on the back of the house allows for air movement.

Adding attic vents is a simple matter of cutting holes and installing vents. If there s blown in insulation like ours rake back the fluffy stuff with a 3 or 4 ft long 1 x 6 or use a garden rake or hoe. In order to prevent insulation from clogging each soffit vent you must also install. Rafter vents ensure the soffit vents are clear and there is a channel for outside air to move into the attic at the soffits and out through the gable or ridge vent.

Installation of this type of attic ventilation involves leaving a gap in the sheathing along the ridge and covering it with a perforated vent. For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. Complete coverage of the attic floor along with sealing air leaks will ensure you get the best performance from your insulation. In other words the entire vent opening doesn t count as vented space.

When inspecting the attic look behind the baffles to see if there is any misplaced insulation obstructing the natural air flow and check the roof vents to make sure that outside air is exhausting properly. But before you cut any holes plan the locations of the attic vents. Covering up the soffit vents with loose fill or batts which can happen if you stuff insulation along the eaves is a huge no no. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents.

This guide covers the installation of this valuable home improvement. Sometimes called rafter vents baffles provide ventilation and keep the insulation from blocking airflow through your attic. The lack of adequate ventilation in insulated attics is a common defect. To completely cover your attic floor with insulation out to the eaves you need to install rafter vents also called insulation baffles.

Photos 1 6 show how it s done. Generally speaking you need a ratio of 1 300 where for every 300 square feet of ceiling space you need 1 square foot of attic ventilation. That said air resistance and interference such as vent grates reduces the area of true ventilation.