Under Eave Vent Views

General Goods

Adding Soffit Vents Keeping your attic cooler in the summer can increase the life of the roof as well as saving money on your air conditioning bill. To effectively cool the attic, outside air needs to circulate through it. One solution is to bring fresh air into the attic through soffit vents under the eaves. There are several different types of soffit vents available including continuous, circular, and perforated vents made for vinyl siding. We3’ll discuss the easiest to install, standard 8 ″ x 16/″ vents. 1 12/16/201

Hi Jacinta, For proper natural air flow in and out of your attic to remove heat, you need to not only have soffit vents for the air to enter, but vents at or near the peak of your attic for the hot air to exit. Soffit vents alone are not enough to provide proper attic ventilation. For a 30o′x26i′ attic (780 sq. ft.) you would need at least 5.2 sq. ft. of vent area with half under the eaves in the soffit and half near the peak as either gable or ridge vents. That means you should have at least 2.6 sq. ft. of soffit vents or a minimum of three 8h″x16g″ vents total (open area of the vent, not total size). The vents should be completely open to the attic, so you should cut out the entire vent opening rather than drilling a few holes. Good luck with your project!

Hi George, Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. Due to natural circulation (hot air rising) or a draft created by an attic power vent fan, soffit vents will always be drawing air in, so they wonm’t be directing any hot air, moisture, or mold toward your house if you face the vent louvers toward the house. While I doubt blowing rain would pose a problem if the louvers face out, since the vents are under the eaves, water getting in would be a problem if you use a hose or power washer to clean your siding or eaves.