Attic Insulation Ventilation

Worse yet inadequate insulation is almost surely allowing moisture laden air into your attic.

Attic insulation ventilation.

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Proper insulation and air sealing also keeps attics cold in winter by blocking the entry of heat and moist air from below. For instance attic ventilation is used widely in cold climates to evacuate the warm moist air that escapes from the living space below. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.

Attics where there is existing insulation to be topped since it fills gaps and joints well. In the summer natural air flow in a well vented attic moves super heated air out of the attic protecting roof shingles and removing moisture. The insulation will resist heat transfer into the house. The solution is to add baffles which allow air to flow past the insulation photo 9.

If this air lingers it can condense on the underside of the roof sheathing and rot it. If your attic is well insulated the insulation might be plugging the spaces between rafters just above exterior walls. Ventilation of attic spaces is required by most building codes as well as by roofing material manufacturers and the national roofing contractors association nrca. You can also contact your local municipality to check on building code in your area.

Diyers who want to get the job done quickly and are comfortable working with power equipment. Low clearance attics with limited headroom for maneuvering during installation. Baffles are available at home centers. It comes on an easy to install flexible mesh roll and is hand nailable with no complicated fitting wrapping nail gun adapters connectors or end plugs needed.

In cold climates the primary purpose of attic or roof ventilation is to maintain a cold roof temperature to control ice dams created by melting snow and to vent moisture that moves from the conditioned space to the attic ventilation acts to bypass the vapour barrier created by most roof membranes. Insulation baffles create a channel for the air entering your soffit vents to get past the insulation and into your attic cavity. Most building codes require a ratio of 1 150 ventilation space to attic floor space. That means air can t flow from the soffit vents to the roof vents.