Not all “short-circuits” are electrical!
My last post was about ridge vents and in that post I talked about how combinations of different methods of ventilation can result in compromised ventilation of the attic space.
The best method of venting attics is Ridge vents in combination with soffit vents. To function properly, there should not be any “easier” path of air flow to the ridge. For example if you have a ridge vent and gable vents, air can move more easily from the gable to ridge than from the soffits to ridge leaving areas of the attic under-ventilated. This is of course more problematic with really steep roofs where the gable vents are really close to the the ridge.
A worse combination is when there are roof vents in combination with the ridge vent as pictured below. (The ridge vent is installed in a continuous line and capped by the ridge shingles.)
In this installation it is pretty easy to see how when the ridge vent is drawing air out of the attic, the easiest path of air flow is going to be through the roof vents. Again, this leaves most of the attic under ventilated.
The installation in the picture happens when the original roof had one method and when the roof was replaced someone decided to install continuous ridge vent—which everyone knows is better. But then what do you do with the old roof vent holes?
You just put the roof vents back in.
Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector
If you enjoyed this post, and would like to get notices of new posts to my blog, please subscribe via email in the little box to the right. I promise NO spamming of your email
Leave a Reply