Soffit Vent Attic Insulation

About attic ventilation natural attic ventilation.

Soffit vent attic insulation.

At first it may seem odd to add insulation for warmth and then purposely allow cold air to. There should be no insulation within 3 inches of the vent. The problem with insulation extending into the soffits is that air getting sucked in through the soffit vents runs over the insulation. This phenomenon known as wind washing dramatically reduces the insulation s r value and could permanently damage insulation material as well.

It prevents mildew growth and rot on your roof s framing and sheathing by. We use this same design under roofs that cover cathedral ceilings but on occasion find that more air space and air flow up under the roof sheathing are needed in those structures. How to keep blow in insulation out of soffits 1. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.

The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. 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. Attic ventilation is critical to the health of your house. The best way to clean them is with blasts of compressed air to blow away dust dirt and any loose insulation that may have fallen into the soffit area.

The attic roof vent baffles baffles hold the insulation away from the roof deck to permit air to enter the attic or under roof space. You need one baffle for each of the soffit. Here s how to keep the air moving with soffit vents. You should clean soffit eave and other types of attic air intake vents at least every couple of years if not annually.

Butt a cardboard template against the fascia and mark your soffit hole locations to begin. Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents. A well ventilated attic offers four benefits.

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Clear loose fill insulation from inside the attic by pulling it off the vent covers and making piles on the attic side of the vents. Lay strips of 3 4 inch plywood that are at least 24 inches wide across the floor of the attic. If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air.

For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside.