Choking the Attic and Roof

 A key element to maintaining the integrity of most roofing materials, and the attic below, is sufficient ventilation. Ideally this is provided by upper ventilation and lower ventilation. Soffit venting is lower ventilation. Sometimes the soffit vents are correctly installed, but those people who install the insulation end up blocking the soffit vents. When the soffit vents are blocked, you might as well not have them because they cannot perform the intended function. The attic can't breath! The roof gets hot and, if moisture collects, it can lead to moisture damage (fungus) on the sheathing or even the big M word -- mold. The heat down below is not good for most roofing materials that will be found above either.

The photos below make it all clear. Both pictures are from the same home -- with two different attic accesses. The top photo shows a standard means of keeping vents open, cardboard baffles. The second photo shows no baffles and open soffit vents on the right, but notice how the batt and loose fill insulation has been pushed up against the sheathing and that killed the venting on the left side of the photo. This needs to be rectified.

Nice

Not so Nice!

Thanks for coming by.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham Home Inspections