Soffit Vent Attic Insulation

How to keep blow in insulation out of soffits 1.

Soffit vent attic insulation.

Clear loose fill insulation from inside the attic by pulling it off the vent covers and making piles on the attic side of the vents. Covering up the soffit vents with loose fill or batts which can happen if you stuff insulation along the eaves is a huge no no. There should be no insulation within 3 inches of the vent. This phenomenon known as wind washing dramatically reduces the insulation s r value and could permanently damage insulation material as well.

It prevents mildew growth and rot on your roof s framing and sheathing by. Set the baffles inside the attic opening along with a loaded staple gun. The best way to clean them is with blasts of compressed air to blow away dust dirt and any loose insulation that may have fallen into the soffit area. Add soffit venting first.

A well ventilated attic offers four benefits. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents. You should clean soffit eave and other types of attic air intake vents at least every couple of years if not annually. Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents.

If the attic is insulated with fiberglass batts just pull back any that are blocking the flow of air. Attic ventilation is critical to the health of your house. You need one baffle for each of the soffit. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. Butt a cardboard template against the fascia and mark your soffit hole locations to begin. The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. The attic roof vent baffles baffles hold the insulation away from the roof deck to permit air to enter the attic or under roof space.

About attic ventilation natural attic ventilation. We use this same design under roofs that cover cathedral ceilings but on occasion find that more air space and air flow up under the roof sheathing are needed in those structures. 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. The problem with insulation extending into the soffits is that air getting sucked in through the soffit vents runs over the insulation.

Here s how to keep the air moving with soffit vents.