Attic Insulation Gable Vents

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.

Attic insulation gable vents.

Square gable vent functions as a decorative accent to your home while providing maximum attic ventilation. Releasing all of the heat that rises and gets trapped in the attic can be achieved with one or a combination of the three following vent models in addition to the multipurpose gable. One often sees gable vents that are small in size and clearly won t provide adequate nfva. They can be located at the gable peak or somewhere in the field of the gable wall figure 8.

The majority of roofing experts agree that ridge vents are the most effective and cost effective roof vents available. Gable vents may circulate air through only a small percentage of your attic. Grab a flashlight and inspect your attic during the winter. If you see dampness or frost you need better roof ventilation and some attic vents.

The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. 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. Normal vented air likes to enter the attic lower down near the bottom third of the attic and as it passes through it will exit higher up near the top third of the attic space. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents.

For the best results place roof ventilation near the roof s peak and soffit vents in the eaves. There is a huge industry around decorative gable vents. This ply gem 14 in. Air flows in through the soffit vents and out through the roof vents.

For an attic without soffit vents you may have the option to use gable vents instead. Attic gable vents are unlike almost all other roof ventilation systems. For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. Gable vents are installed in the vertical walls at the gables ends.

When used in conjunction with soffit vents they serve as exhaust vents. Without baffles blinders that prevent outside air from crossing over the vent a ridge vent may create almost no ventilation at all. Vents come in various styles. If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air.

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. While most other ventilation systems are designed to blend in and be hidden from sight these vents are meant to stand out and add an architectural element to an otherwise bare area on your house.