Soffit Vent, If You Please
Hey Seattle-ites, this is a very informative blog post 
from a home inspector in VA. I know you probably don't spend too much time thinking about ventilation in your attic, but a peek under your soffits to check for ventilation holes, and a walk around the roof to make sure you have adequate venting could save you lots of headache and $$$ down the pike. Especially important in our damp environment. Happy Thursday!
For attics that are not intentionally built not to ventilate, attic venting is extremely important. And if the house has what is called a soffit and ridge vent system, you really want to see the soffit vent, if you please.
It's simple. There are holes under the gutters called soffit vents.
There's a slice cut out of the top of the roof, which is covered to allow the air out. That is the ridge vent.
Together they are called a soffit and ridge vent system.
IT IS VERY GOOD VENTILATION, BECAUSE IT IS PURE PHYSICS.
Air comes in, gets hot, rises and goes out through the highest point. It never fails. The soffit and ridge vent system even works in winter time.
This ventilation system also helps to allow moisture to escape, especially during winter.
It is a very important system.
It's important that the same amount of air that comes in can get out!
Arriving at this inspection I noticed that two houses had all the wood trim wrapped with aluminum - the house I was to inspect and the one next door.
All of the other houses had wood trim.
Looking up I noticed something odd.
The house I was inspecting had aluminum siding put over the soffit vents.
Why is that important?
BECAUSE NO AIR CAN GET IN!
If no air gets in, no air gets out. Therefore, THERE IS NO VENTILATION!
What should the vent look like?
See the house next door?
The soffit vents were covered, properly covered, with plastic made for that application.
These plastic soffit covers are manufactured with small holes to allow for air to get in.
The venting holes are placed every 12".
Covering the soffits with regular aluminum siding is NOT providing vent holes to allow air to get in.
If no air gets in, no air gets out!
The attic air stagnates.
The attic air is influenced by warmth from the house during the winter.
The attic air is influenced by coolness from the house during the summer.
When a disparity of temperatures exists, the laws of biology and physics say, condensation develops.
When condensation develops conditions improve that encourage "microbial growth!"
But you already knew that was coming! See also how rusty the nails are? The shingles are only a couple of years old.
And all this because, as some point, some "professional" came into the neighborhood and sold this occupant on why the wood trim needs to be covered with aluminum so it would be
"MAINTENANCE FREE!"
Proof once again that just because someone has knowledge of HOW to do something, without experience with WHAT to do, or understanding the BEST PRACTICES of what one is doing, unintended consequences result.
ISN'T IT ALWAYS THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES!!??
My recommendation: when someone proposes that something be done to your house, check around. Don't simply check on the contractor who proposes the work. Check on what is proposed to be done! Be sure that one thing will not cause another. Because, after all, there are certain laws in biology and physics that must be obeyed. If they are not, you will be issued a citation - from a home inspector!
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC
Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia
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