Vented Attics
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This type of attic is the most common we see in our housing stock. The way this attic works is you have venting along the perimeter of your home ( soffits ) that allows air to flow into the attic. This air is then drawn up through the attic space and exits at either a ridge vent ( peak of the roof ) or gable-end vents on the side walls of the attic ( gables ). This system of venting removes heat, moisture and, of course, stale air.
Common things we Inspect in a vented attic space:
- Soffit openings at eaves – First we want to make sure you have them. Then we want to make sure there are proper vents ( little styrofoam-looking chutes ). These are in each each rafter bay at eaves. They help maintain airflow and allow sufficient Insulation to extend over the top plates of your outside walls.
- Ridge venting or gable vents – We want to make sure you have one or the other and that it’s allowing adequate airflow.
- The insulation level – We want to make sure you have an R-38 minimum; this is about 10-12″ of loose-fill-type Insulation.
- Airseal opportunities – We want to check for open wall cavities ( ballon framing ), open cavities through drywall, such as a chase or dropped soffit. These openings and gaps should be sealed with a foam-type Insulation to stop air from transferring through the loose Insulation and into the living space and vice versa.