Old Attic Pitched Roof Proper Ventilation
The following are the requirements taken directly from the irc.
Old attic pitched roof proper ventilation. Fans and vents may be installed on the roof system that will draw the air out of the attic space and exhaust it to the exterior. Don t avoid ventilating your attic for fear you re letting cold air into the house. The building code lets you reduce that by half under some conditions but more roof ventilation is usually better. Most effective ventilation uses a ridge and soffit continuous ventilation system but even these designs can vary from roof to roof.
Removal of excess heat and moisture will help the life of the roof and the efficiency of the hvac systems within. The open area of a vent is sometimes listed on the roof air vent as nfva net free vent area. The ventilation amount and opening size requirements can be found in section 806 roof ventilation of chapter 8 roof ceiling construction. Pitched roof ventilation is beneficial in all climate zones and in.
If there are asphalt shingles on your roof the attic must be ventilated to comply with the terms of the manufacturer s warranty. Calculate 20 per cent more for 7 12 to 10 12 pitches and 30 per cent more for a pitch that is 11 12 or greater. Whole house fans powered attic fans. Roof ventilation is crucial to attics as it positively affects the home inside and out.
Your actual living space is sealed and insulated at the attic floor the attic is outside this envelope. If the slope of your roof is greater than 6 12 you will need more ventilation to reflect the extra volume of attic space. These fans may be controlled by a switch or a thermostat which detects heat build up in the attic space and automatically exhausts the attic space. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.
The success of a vented attic or roof deck relies on its airtightness. If you don t know how your roof vents work or if you re unsure about your attic ventilation in general you should talk to a roof inspector about your current system and any inherent weaknesses that may be at. Baffles placed in this area channel intake air into either the attic space or vent chutes and also prevent insulation from falling into the soffit and blocking airflow. The majority of the requirements related to attic ventilation have not changed much from the previous editions.
Pitched roof ventilation is achieved by creating air changes in the attic. The space above the top plate of exterior walls at the bottom of each rafter bay is especially important. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.