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Message
Anyone here familiar with proper attic ventilation.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 7:26 pm
Posted on 6/29/23 at 7:26 pm
I live in a house that was built in the 40s that has been added on to several times My question concerns attic ventilation. I have four gable vents in the attic but my house has no soffits which affects the ventilation. IM in the proceso of installing an outbound fan on one of the gables to try and draw some of that stiffling air out the attic. Problem is that 3 of the gable vents are in the front portion of the house and the rear of he house has only one vent. How should I handle this situation as far as proper air flow in the attic? Would one outbound fan be enough or should I put at lesst 2?
1
Posted on 6/29/23 at 7:46 pm to chili dogs
You need to do your homework on this, perhaps enlist some professional help.
Add a power fan to a gable to pull the hot air out of the attic, where is the make up air going to come from? Your attic can’t live in a vacuum. Without soffits, unless you have a completely sealed attic, you are potentially going to pull air out of your conditioned living space below - so you’ll cool the attic with the air your trying to keep your house cool with. I don’t think that’s want you want to do. On the other hand it might pull some or most of the make up air from the other open gables - I don’t know.
With a house your age, with added additions, you might want pay a professional to provide you an assessment of the best course of action.
Add a power fan to a gable to pull the hot air out of the attic, where is the make up air going to come from? Your attic can’t live in a vacuum. Without soffits, unless you have a completely sealed attic, you are potentially going to pull air out of your conditioned living space below - so you’ll cool the attic with the air your trying to keep your house cool with. I don’t think that’s want you want to do. On the other hand it might pull some or most of the make up air from the other open gables - I don’t know.
With a house your age, with added additions, you might want pay a professional to provide you an assessment of the best course of action.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:01 pm to CrawDude
Who are the professionals, in this instance?
Do HVAC companies handle vents? Contractor? Roofer?
Do HVAC companies handle vents? Contractor? Roofer?
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:26 pm to GynoSandberg
quote:
Who are the professionals, in this instance?
Where you located?
There are building forensic inspector's that can do this for a fee without trying to sell you a product they install, but can provide you advice and recommend contractors to you, unless you want to and are a capable DIYer.
For example, if you lived in the greater New Orleans this guy specializes in this type of work. LINK. I’ve listened to his radio program for years - he likes to say he spends his days either crawling through attics or crawl spaces to solve these types of issues for homeowners.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 7:16 am to CrawDude
quote:
Without soffits, unless you have a completely sealed attic, you are potentially going to pull air out of your conditioned living space below
most builders today can't properly seal a living space against air/moisture/critters. I would imagine even less so 40 years ago.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 8:50 am to CrawDude
quote:
Add a power fan to a gable to pull the hot air out of the attic, where is the make up air going to come from?
He has a gable roof with 4 gable vents. If he put a fan on the back gable vent it could pull air from the 3 gable vents in the front.
My gable fan pulls air from the gable vent on the opposite end of the house. It made a big difference in attic temperature.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 9:48 am to weadjust
quote:
He has a gable roof with 4 gable vents. If he put a fan on the back gable vent it could pull air from the 3 gable vents in the front. My gable fan pulls air from the gable vent on the opposite end of the house. It made a big difference in attic temperature.
I agree with you that very well may be, and likely, the case and stated so, and it can be tested with a smoke pen after the fact, but it is important that homeowners who consider using attic power ventilators are aware that when they put their attic under negative pressure make-up air is going to drawn from somewhere and that somewhere has the potential to be drawn from the conditioned living area below, particularly in a house with a poorly sealed attic, and one without soffit vents. I’d guess the vast majority of homeowners aren’t aware of this.
But that certainly would be the simplest, and least expensive - upfront - approach to try.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 1:18 pm to CrawDude
I’m in GNO - I’ll give him a ring. Thanks CD
Posted on 6/30/23 at 2:09 pm to CrawDude
quote:
Your attic can’t live in a vacuum. Without soffits, unless you have a completely sealed attic, you are potentially going to pull air out of your conditioned living space below
With gable vents on each gable, it is not a vacuum. But adding soffit vents would be a good idea.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 4:05 pm to mdomingue
quote:
With gable vents on each gable, it is not a vacuum. But adding soffit vents would be a good idea.
Of course, a house isn’t a sealed vessel, it’s going to draw make up air from somewhere, but with a 80 year old with numerous additions, and no existing soffits this probably an area that it would behoove the OP to pay an expert in the field for a consultation to get it right the first time.
This post was edited on 6/30/23 at 5:02 pm
Posted on 6/30/23 at 8:15 pm to CrawDude
quote:
it would behoove the OP to pay an expert in the field for a consultation to get it right the first time.
Absolutely correct.
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