Soffit Ridge Vent Attic Fan

This is different from soffit vents which allow air to travel into the attic.

Soffit ridge vent attic fan. Roof vents are extremely important when it comes to attic ventilation. I really like the idea of just using a ridge vent and soffit vents but my concern is that the shallow pitch and long distance from the soffit to the ridge will not allow for efficient upward movement of air. Hvi recommends a ratio of 60 to 40 for soffit ventilation to gable or ridge ventilation. Intake air is critical to maintaining a proper flow of air throughout the attic space.

An attic s intake vents are most commonly installed directly in the soffit either as individual vents spaced every few feet or as one continuous perforated soffit running the entire length of the. Also since the fan is powered by the sun it should turn off when the sky is overcast during a storm which will keep it from drawing rain into the attic. Ridge vents are a passive system simply allowing hot air to rise up through them rather than pushing it out as a fan does. They re most effective when used in conjunction with a continuous ridge vent.

Like attic fans ridge vents are designed to exhaust air that is already inside the attic. The attic fan would go on the gable end and push outside air into the attic space to keep it the same as the outside temp. The standard intake vent for attics is a soffit vent also sometimes referred to as an eave vent and it allows for air to enter the attic down low near the eaves. However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.

Since your solar vent fan only moves 500 cfm a third to half that of a typical hardwired attic vent fan it probably won t move enough air to reverse the action of the ridge vent. The ventilation that controls moisture from condensation and regulates the temperature in your attic relies on air circulation. Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles including small round discs and rectangular grilles. Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool.

Roof vents are available in many styles and materials. However if your attic has blocked soffit vents and is not well sealed from the rest of the house attic fans will suck cool conditioned air up out of the house and into the attic. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave. Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.

In the summer roof vents will reduce the air temperature which reduces air conditioning and in the winter they reduce the humidity level of the cold air which in turn reduces costs for heating.