Insulated Attic Soffits

The photograph at left shows severe mold on the underside of roof sheathing in a 1920 s cape cod attic where there was no under roof ventilation.

Insulated attic soffits.

She asked me to go into the attic to find the roof leaks or where the snow is blowing in through the soffits. The principle behind soffits is to allow air to circulate in and around the attic. Add weatherstripping around the perimeter and a sweep to the door of a walk up attic. Pull down stair or ladder.

One last thought attic ventilation is not there to get rid of heat it is there to get rid of excess moisture accumulating from the home. Use a zippered insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft free attic tent at 7 attic cover insulator 120. Insulation at least r 38 or more is there for heating and. Blocked soffit vents invites attic or roof cavity moisture condensation mold the photograph at page top shows an attic whose intake venting is blocked by fiberglass insulation.

Insulating and venting when there is no roof soffit. I found instead a vintage 3 ton ac unit with 1 rigid insulation taped all over it and insulated flex duct snaking all over the poorly insulated attic. Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. Insulation often clogs the space between the rafters blocking air from traveling to and from the soffit area.

Five common causes of poor attic venting. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents. In most residential homes the soffit and associated vents is the structural part of the roof that hangs over the side of the home. Attic hatch or door.

The answer is rafter venting. Ridge vent must me installed per the manufactures instructions. On a positive note congratulations on having 24 inch eaves. No your soffits should not be insulated and there is a chance that your insulation has been damaged by this.

Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. Aluminum or vinyl soffits eaves installed over plywood soffits that don t have venting holes. If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air. Best ventilation is open soffit venting to a open vented ridge vent.

It can do both. Install air chutes or clear them if they re clogged photo 1.