Why Do You Need Ventilation In The Attic

One reason for the lack of agreement over attic ventilation is the tremendous variation in climate across north america.

Why do you need ventilation in the attic.

Ventilation can be accomplished using various products and techniques. Throughout the balance of this digest the terms attic and roof will and can be used interchangeably. How you can improve your attic ventilation. The commonly accepted calculation for sizing vents is 1 square foot of vent opening to 175 square foot of attic area.

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. What does attic ventilation do for my home. Rarely will you find a building practice that works everywhere. Attic ventilation is an intake and exhaust system that creates airflow designed to decrease the difference in temperature between the outdoor air and the air inside the attic.

Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness. Ventilation of attic spaces is required by most building codes as well as by roofing material manufacturers and the national roofing contractors association nrca. Before we explore how to ventilate an attic space it is prudent to understand how much ventilation is needed. How much venting do you need.

That said air resistance and interference such as vent grates reduces the area of true ventilation. All you need to know about attic ventilation understand the pieces and parts that contribute to quality attic ventilation so that you can better cool down the space and prevent roof damage all. The size and placement of vents depends on the roof configuration and the size of the attic. However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.

It s typically the minimum recommended standard that should be used for ventilating attics. 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. The downside of attic ventilation fans. Effective ventilation provides year round benefits creating a cooler attic in the summer and a drier attic in the winter.

Federal housing administration recommends a minimum of at least one square foot of attic ventilation split evenly between intake and exhaust for every 300 square feet of attic floor space. For instance attic ventilation is used widely in cold climates to evacuate the warm moist air that escapes from the living space below. 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. 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.