Insulated Attic Soffits

She asked me to go into the attic to find the roof leaks or where the snow is blowing in through the soffits.

Insulated attic soffits.

Insulation at least r 38 or more is there for heating and. Blocked soffit vents invites attic or roof cavity moisture condensation mold the photograph at page top shows an attic whose intake venting is blocked by fiberglass insulation. On a positive note congratulations on having 24 inch eaves. The principle behind soffits is to allow air to circulate in and around the attic.

Five common causes of poor attic venting. Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. Install air chutes or clear them if they re clogged photo 1. Best ventilation is open soffit venting to a open vented ridge vent.

Aluminum or vinyl soffits eaves installed over plywood soffits that don t have venting holes. 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. Use a zippered insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft free attic tent at 7 attic cover insulator 120. Attic hatch or door.

Ridge vent must me installed per the manufactures instructions. In looking around the attic i see that the area above the soffits was completely filled in with some extra blown in insulation that was added some years ago by a previous owner. Insulation often clogs the space between the rafters blocking air from traveling to and from the soffit area. Pull down stair or ladder.

One last thought attic ventilation is not there to get rid of heat it is there to get rid of excess moisture accumulating from the home. Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. In most residential homes the soffit and associated vents is the structural part of the roof that hangs over the side of the home. The photograph at left shows severe mold on the underside of roof sheathing in a 1920 s cape cod attic where there was no under roof ventilation.

If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air. I found instead a vintage 3 ton ac unit with 1 rigid insulation taped all over it and insulated flex duct snaking all over the poorly insulated attic. No your soffits should not be insulated and there is a chance that your insulation has been damaged by this. The rigid insulation was saturated from condensation.

Insulating and venting when there is no roof soffit. It can do both.