How to Avoid Common Attic Ventilation Installation Mistakes | GAF Roofing

When planning and installing a balanced attic ventilation system, it is important to understand and avoid these common mistakes that may reduce the effectiveness of the system.
To learn more and to help calculate your ventilation needs, visit gaf.com/ventcalculator

[@GoatZilla]

Plot twist: the intake is actually your leaky house interior.

[@janking2762]

Yes but air sealing will help.

[@zachattack83]

@@janking2762 you can’t just seal up an attic and call it good. Proper steps must be taken.

[@thebearclaw0]

​@@zachattack83he's talking about the cracks and voids in the attic from the rooms below. Like the drywall butting up to wood. The holes drilled for wiring. The wholes sealed and cracks sealed around can lights. Those cracks pull your cool/ heated air out of the living spaces

[@dolfinwriter5389]

@@thebearclaw0 Exactly that. It's a split level house and I have actually two attics separated from each other. The upper level attic has an access through a closet in one bedroom. That access panel had a piece of R-19 fiberglass batt insulation that was very dirty from years of air movement up and down through that insulation acting as a dirt filter. I will also be going around all of the exterior walls and insulate around electrical boxes with firefoam because in the winter I can feel a cold draft coming from them. I have a FLIR attachment for my phone as well to look for thermal variants to tell me where I need to seal or insulate better all over the house.

[@emmanuelgutierrez8616]

Everyone needs to see this. Solar vents usually hurt more than help

[@kb_100]

Very well illustrated video. Thank you

[@gafroofing]

Thanks, Kareem! 🔨

[@patrickcasey9908]

Well done. Every roofing sales person should forward this to prospects. Gable vents are always something we deal with in reroof too.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Always have more soffit vent capacity than roof vent. Allows for better ventilation. Doesn't mean double the capacity either. If you need 488 sq inches of exhaust then use 500 sq inches of soffit vent. Or a bit more. Equal balancing may not be optimal for cooling. Especially on those hot 100F deg days with sun blazing on your roof. It will take more air flow to draw out the heat than what it needed at say 80F.

[@Matlockization]

I have to say that for a house with a basement or a cavity for piping etc, the double cavity house walls could serve to suck cold humid air from under the house and expel it out through the vents at the top corner of the roof via heating. This could mitigate the spread of termites & wood rot in cooler climates. Intake vents under the roof would just defeat the whole purpose. Attic baffles look very interesting and might be more applicable in cooler climates.

[@allegory7638]

I have a gable roof with static venting that was always extremely hot April - September, so added an intake fan on one gable end and an exhaust fan on the other, so I have crossflow all the way across the attic and got about a 25 -30 degree drop in the summer. They are both thermostat and timer-controlled so they can run if it's between 10 am-7pm and over 90* in the attic. In the Texas summer heat they usually come on at about 12 noon. If they don't come on then I know the attic isn't over 90*F.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

What do you use the attic for?

[@alexmartinezconstruction4476]

Excellent video which confirms the simple basics of ventilation! I had a couple people tell me this type of ventilation was obsolete and that new types of venting was the in thing. I had a roofing job where i was going to replicate this exact model of ventilation and even cut out the soffit for the vents. They had none on either side of the gable! Well the insurance company sent in another crew... no vents, and the owner had the crew install a couple solar power rotating exhaust fans. tsk tsk.

[@jessegriffin9]

Thank you for sharing.

[@gafroofing]

You're very welcome!

[@sondon7103]

So far, so good! I installed this fan yesterday. kzbin.infoUgkx7yWIKcrbA9KMHkGSfcgxW2lsjHT6B8Sh I've been watching a continuous radon monitor in my house for about a week, and the levels have been running between 4.5 and 7.9 pCi/L. Shortly after I installed this fan, the radon level started dropping, and in less than 24 hours since I installed it, the level is now 1.9. My basement is approximately 2,000 square feet. Total home square footage above basement is approximately 4,000 square feet. The noise level so far is very quiet. Mine is installed indoors, so I had to purchase a cord and connector. If I have any problems later, I'll update my review. But for now, I'm very pleased with it.Update after 48 hours: Using a constant monitor, my radon is now fluctuating between 0.38 and 0.45 pCi/L. I've moved the monitor to my basement and am getting a constant 0.43 reading. After 24 hours, and when I know the weather will be safe, I'll place the monitor outside for about 12 hours. I'm thinking that the 0.38 to 0.45 may be the outside "ambient" radon level. I'm using this monitor (purchased from Amazon): Corentium Home Radon Detector by Airthings 223

[@gafroofing]

🙌

[@PappyNet01]

@@gafroofing Is their any resolutions to our new roof that was constructed with GAF Roofing products. The Timberman Roofing Company installed a ridge vent in our living room which is a high cathedral ceiling and was not supposed to receive a ridge vent. Thank you

[@gafroofing]

Thanks for reaching out. Contractors are not employees of GAF, and we recommend contacting your contractor directly regarding these concerns.

[@SW-li7gd]

thanks for the video

[@gafroofing]

You're welcome!

[@captaincodebook3200]

In multi unit residential or commercial buildings the biggest issue I see is not capping the vent at the smoke and fire barriers.

[@porkchop10]

Matching the intake to exhaust would be the minumum. No such thing as too much intake, but guessing most soffits dont have enough.

[@ZekeMagnum]

Can a DIY:er measure if you have a good air flow balance?

[@gafroofing]

Thanks for asking, Zeke! You can find more information on ventilation here: bit.ly/3pqFtXh. If you need assistance beyond that link, we recommend that you speak to a local GAF Certified Contractor in your area! You can locate one near you here: bit.ly/3310NuP.

[@davidansley2881]

Hi, I’ve got a ridge vent all the way along my roof peek with intake vents every 8 feet, my attic is 12 foot at peek but it still gets extremely hot in the summer in Texas. Did they do something wrong or is that just normal for my area? Thanks in advance.

[@gafroofing]

Our Technical Experts will be able to help you, David. Please contact them directly at (1-800-766-3411) and they will be happy to assist.

[@joekds8826]

Hello, I'm having issue with the roofer. My home was built in the 30's, has approximately 240 sq. in. Of gable venting. No soffits in the old house. I have 954 SQ ft of attic space. The roofer added 30' of ridge venting. On a breezy day it takes the attic door and dislodges it when an entry door is opened. My HVAC is also in the attic, and the attic is insulated with the old paperback & also blow in. Made for a cold house last winter. Question is how to correct the situation. Thanks

[@gafroofing]

Hie Joe. Our technical experts would be more than happy to assist you with that! Please give them a call at 800-766-3411

[@faeezf]

Does a house in a tropical country benefit from this vent? The heavy rains & strong winds might make water enter the roof into the attic.

[@gafroofing]

Hi, Faez. We recommend Cobra IntakePro for an intake vent in rainy areas. You can learn more at this link: bit.ly/3dyWagV. If you have any further questions, give our team a call at 800-755-9392.

[@hmdwn]

Contradicting info from today's potential new roofing contractor > > > existing roof has a ridge vent and soffit venting as the house was built by my father in 1975. Today's visiting roofing contractor wants to block-off existing soffit venting and install "smartvent attic ventilation" which is a long 1" cut on the length of the roof decking 6" up from the drip edge. This doesn't make sense as the existing soffit venting draws from the 'lowest part of the roof... why change what works??? I need this attic to be as cool as possible as I now have an attic AC Air Handler for second floor air conditioning and new R8 flex-duct work in the attic. Currently here in SE-Pa on a hot humid 95 degree day the attic temp is 108-110 degrees. Would the "smartvent attic ventilation" get that temp lower? (I'm thinking doing what the roofing 'expert' is suggesting is a mistake)

[@gafroofing]

Hi, Ray. Our experts are here to help. Visit bit.ly/3ycNMvt and fill out details of your inquiry, and they will get in touch with you to help.

[@hmdwn]

@@gafroofing ... sent BTW, I want the roofer to use your Cobra Ridge Vent vs the rolled mesh vent.

[@jtmcanada234]

1975 Era construction often the soffit vents are very poor. The roofer is by passing them with new lower intake vents as these soffit vents are insufficient

[@janking2762]

We had smart vent intakes installed when we got a new roof and our second floor is much cooler, here in Northern DE, about 1/8 mile from SE PA. We had no soffit vents and the new vents were a fraction of the work needed to create new soffit vents.

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

Glad you brought up this question. tHanks Ray!

[@me4654]

Someone needs to make townships inspect apartments being built! My area it's so complicated and it's supposed to go back to the state but it doesn't and no one checks cuz it's bringing in tax revenue

[@krehbein]

I have two octagonal gable vents. Are those still considered effective, or should a ridge vent be considered?

[@gafroofing]

Hi, there. Our Master Flow experts will be able to guide you. You can reach them at 800-755-9392.

[@jomack7923]

What did the master flow experts say about your question?

[@Barnwellvideo]

Fba requirements? Am I hearing that right? Can’t find anything on Google.

[@gafroofing]

Hi, there. FVA stands for free vent area. You can calculate the proper amount of attic ventilation needed by using the calculator on our website: bit.ly/3GIfUrb

[@holmesjunction]

Please check your local ventilation regulations! This is based on USA standards and other countries may vary.

[@darwinjina]

Thats a great point. I have not seen any houses in the hot / humid areas in Asia have any type of ridge or whirly bird. Did have some vents under the overhang. I'm like, wondering... why

[@BryanL1982]

What about vaulted ceilings with air gap and no cross ventilation between rafter bays? Same ridge vent calc?

[@gafroofing]

Thanks for reaching out, Bryan. We recommend connecting with our technical team for assistance: 1-800-766-3411.

[@Danka.Luftetare]

How you measure or identify if the intent system is working or not? How much fixing the problem cost? How you test if aire intake is working?

[@gafroofing]

Hi, there. Please reach out to our MasterFlow experts directly at [e-mail], and they will be happy to answer your questions.

[@craigwilliamson9041]

I have a house that has no sophets and 2 gables one on each end with an attic fan and 2 whirlybirds on top is that enough

[@gafroofing]

Hi, Craig. We do not recommend using multiple ventilation systems as they do not work well together. Please refer to this technical bulletin for more information on proper ventilation: bit.ly/45HOXSi

[@dolfinwriter5389]

Can someone advise? I checked in my attic today for what I need to do to improve the insulation. I found that my eaves are not vented. There is some insulation that is pushed all the way out to the roof sheeting. I thought that meant I would have to rake that insulation out of those areas and install baffles. So then I checked my soffits and they are sealed up tight with solid sheeting and caulked up. Did someone screw up or are there some attics that should not be vented this way?

[@Jeffs60]

What year was the house built?

[@dolfinwriter5389]

@@Jeffs60 1978

[@Jeffs60]

@@dolfinwriter5389 It seems like most houses built before the late 1970's never had any vented soffits, ridge vents or attic fans, just 2 gable vents on each end of the house and it seemed to be ok, perhaps there was more air gaps and leaks in the structure of the houses back then but now they build houses more tight and so you need more ventilation.

[@dolfinwriter5389]

@@Jeffs60 I don't have gable vents--only ridge vents. I've been working to seal up my house, so I should probably install soffit vents and attic baffles then? Is there any kind of guide or guidance on this? I would much rather go read this myself than ask you to share all your knowledge for free. I want to determine for my house if I should place maybe one or two or three soffit vents on each side, and baffles only where the vents are. Someone else said that in a very windy place like Kansas, we my not have vents because the winds and particularly heavy gusts during storms can lift the roof off easier if it's vented? Thanks for your input!

[@Jeffs60]

@@dolfinwriter5389 Attic ventilation is not an exact science but based on opinions and where on the globe you live so if windy area you need very secure high quality material not cheap plastic ridge vents. Soffit and attic fan might be better or look at what other houses in your area have.

[@paulpugh2480]

So ,do asphalt shingles last longer in a properly ventilated attic ?

[@gafroofing]

That's correct. Asphalt shingles installed over unvented attics are often exposed to higher temperatures, compared to vented attics. This increase in temperatures can age and/or oxidize the shingles and sealing strips faster, which may affect the performance of the shingles. Learn more here: spr.ly/6050cCy5Y

[@LUISNEVESable]

I’ve seen many houses with two rows of roof vents, one close to the ridge and one closer to the bottom of the roof, is that a good idea and why?

[@gafroofing]

Hi, there. Any ridge area on a hip roof can be vented, there are no specs on how far apart they can be. Feel free to reach out to our team at 877-423-7663 if you have any additional questions.

[@LUISNEVESable]

@@gafroofing so, what’s the reason of the vents close to bottom that are the same as the top ones?

[@gafroofing]

It would be a matter of preference since there are no pros or cons to installing multiple ridge vents on a roof with multiple ridge lines. Our experts would be happy to discuss this further. Please give them a call at 877-423-7663.

[@jtmcanada234]

The lower vents would be to allow in fresh air the same as soffit vents. It is common especially when upgrading an older house with very little soffit venting to add additional lower vents to bring in fresh air and all in all - prevent mold etc

[@Matlockization]

@@LUISNEVESable The upper vents through internal roof heating will expel out hotter roof air. This action will result in a vacuum in the roof causing outside air to flow into the lower vents preventing the roof from over heating. If you live in a double brick house this idea can be extended to sucking air from under the house where the air is cold and humid provided there are zero vents along the way. This idea works better in the warmer months.

[@raymond1868]

So no contractors are installing correctly because all the houses i see have continuous ridge vent even on pointless dormers

[@m.jcardinal]

can you put loose blown cellular insulation in an attic if the house has no gable vents or roof ridge. Can the insulation be put in first and then the roof ridge or gable vents be put up later? house is 1970 and has the original fiber glass batt from 1970 that the loose blown celluloose was going over it...

[@gafroofing]

Thanks for reaching out, Melissa. Please give our technical team a call for assistance with insulation questions: 800-766-3411.

[@nodave77]

Is it ok to have more intake than exhaust? I have a ridge vent.

[@jtmcanada234]

Yes it is fine

[@gafroofing]

Thanks for reaching out, DC. With ridge vents, for proper ventilation, the amount of intake ventilation must equal the amount of exhaust ventilation at the ridge. Visit bit.ly/3Bx56NA for detailed information about ridge vent installations. If you have any additional questions, our experts are here you help. You can reach them at 800-755-9392.

[@trustme7731]

Its impossible to have more intake than exhaust. Unless of course the air is compressing in your attic.

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

@@trustme7731 ...now you had to go and bring logic into the conversation. (I wish I could use logic to figure out how to install insulation board under my siding. However I misplaced my logic...probably left it somewhere with my common sense.)

[@trustme7731]

@@Dancing_Alone_wRentals I see siding companies putting foam board under siding in cold climates. While it may help to insulate, I think it acts like a vapor barrier/retarder and prevents moisture from exiting the wall space. This could lead to mold and rot.

[@tctwg1]

Next roof I get, I’m ditching the ridge vent and going back to the whirlybirds.

[@maplenook]

Why

[@tctwg1]

@@maplenook Before I got my new roof I had the whirlybirds. In the Texas summer it was hot in the attic but bearable. Now that I have ridge vents it’s crazy hot in the attic. It doesn’t feel like any heat is venting. Most of the new homes in my area are going with whirlybirds.

[@user-ln7of9gs4s]

If the sheathing under the roof way spray foamed, and the heat was blocked from entering in the first place, it wouldn’t be an issue.

[@Matlockization]

I think the whirlybirds can act as both active and passive vents.

[@user-ln7of9gs4s]

@@Matlockization we wouldn’t need them if the roof was foamed, but we have outdated building codes in my opinion.

[@lucash1980]

They sure can make a lot of stuff up with fancy graphics. Hot air rises, really hot air rises faster...

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

That open cell foam ridge vent has to be the worst method

[@bestamerica]

' oh no... stop watch at 055... not like house design wall

[@patnolen6483]

Great illustrations but closed captions would have really helped my understanding. Frustrating!

[@gafroofing]

We appreciate your feedback, Pat, and have passed your suggestion along to our team. This information is also available on our blog. Click the following link for the blog post: bit.ly/3oE7E51

[@trustme7731]

Never been a fan of ridge venting. I appears very restrictive. I've seen metal ridge vents that have full length open slots with screening to keep out insects.

[@aistsudm]

P

[@Archangel0804]

Video Doesn't address if you have a house without soffits. Your lower vents become your intake and anything up high is exhaust.

[@gafroofing]

We appreciate your feedback. We have more information at this link: bit.ly/3vrIWIQ

[@bvsnook]

Avoid ridge venting in Oklahoma if given a choice. I've been a HVAC tech for 31 years and spend alot of time in attics. The hottest and most unbearable attics are almost always ridge vented. Turbine vents or thermostaticly controled power vents seem to work the best here.

[@b_uppy]

Were they adequately exhausted though???

[@tempesttube]

The primary purpose of venting is to maintain the health of the roof structure, not your comfort. It doesn't need to be comfortable, but there should be good air movement. Inadequate venting probably means inadequate intake. Forcing the air to be pulled in mechanically usually means that you're heating/cooling your attic with air from your living space.

[@philhand5830]

Ridge vents should do the trick, yes???

[@gafroofing]

Hi, Phil, you can learn more about the different options for your attic ventilation needs here: bit.ly/3P4tc6a You can also contact a GAF-certified contractor for any assistance you need by entering your zip code here: bit.ly/3AKBgoG

[@PappyNet01]

Just this past May 2023 bleed over into June 2023, we had our roof, "Re-roofed with GAF Products"! I think we got "Ripped-OFF" by the local contractor. My Father 83-yrs old is immobile, on oxygen and stays upstairs 24/7/365 unless he had medical appointments. The upstairs temperatures have reached 85-deg Fahrenheit! Albeit, this is a very hot summer, but the new roof is not deflecting the heat! We live in northwest Florida and the local contractor "Timberman Roofing Owner/Manager" was horrible! The crew worked hard and fast ---- NO ONE SPOKE ENGLISH! The contract stated that a "English-speaking" Crew Chief will be on site, but there was not any English speaking crew members period. I did not like that they did not replace the sheathing on the whole roof! They said it was only necessary to replace the sheathing in the areas as recommended by the "Crew Chief". When the crew removed the old shingles and underlayment, I had a chance to climb into the attic above the garage and that sheathing looked like swiss cheese! I may upload some videos. I have never so mad at the lack of "professionalism" and "common courtesy" from a business! I DO NOT RECOMMEND TIMBERMAN ROOFING and THEIR OTHER LINES OF BUSINESS! You could show this video to roofing contractors and they still wouldn't do the mathematics to determine the length of a ridge vent - who is going to climb into a attic and take measurements? I just don't know how I can make ventilation corrections: The contractors cut a ridge vent into our living room cathedral ceiling that has no attic space and the ridge is very close to the length of the roof!

[@BryanL1982]

It would be vented in a gap on top of the insulation in the rafter bays.

[@PappyNet01]

@@BryanL1982 That is my point the new ridge vent on the section of roof above the living room is not ventilating the hot air to make the living room comfortable: besides Timberman Roofing Company should never have cut a ridge vent on this section of roof! For the second floor, I am beginning to think that the Timberman Roofing "Roofers" closed-off the ridge vent? They used GAF Cobra Ridgevent-3

[@brownamerican5786]

Your contractor may have been incompetent, I don't know, would need to see what they did, but you don't normally replace all the plywood, unless it is rotted, moldy, or delaminated. Also, roofs do not really reflect heat, and it is not a roofers job to cool your upstairs or even your attic space. Your actually not trying to cool your attic space, you are trying to regulate it, whatever temp it is outside is what it should be in your attic.

[@PappyNet01]

@@brownamerican5786 Thank you for replying, but I didn't claim it is the roofers job to cool either the second floor or the attic space, but it is their job to abide by the customer's requirements unless it is either unlawful or unsafe. We requested a new layer of plywood on the whole roof because we were installing the fourth-(4th) roof on our home.- they refused to listen to me! If you understand the difference between materials, the composition of materials and the color of materials then you will understand the transfer of heat. Our roof is less than one year-(1yr) old and we have water leaking through the roof.

[@janedoe019]

i would apply radiant barrier stapled across the upper rafters, leaving a 3" air space between the plywood and the silver reflective sheets. It cost e $150 for a large roll, very inexpensive. I'm installing mine tomorrow & I will let you know how much of a temperature drop I have.

[@robertperry4439]

Annoying, distracting and unnecessary background sounds (music?).