Need help with attic ventilation....?

Question

Currently my two story house has a ridge vent but no soffit or gable vents. It's very warm in summer and cold in winter in the 2nd floor..i could use a little more inuslation...i know..but my house needs to breathe and i'm finding brown water spots on my 2nd floor ceiling probably because moisture is getting locked up in the attic. are gable and soffit vent for intake or release of air? The way the house was built the attic joists go all the way across the attic. there is barely any room to move. i really can't get to the edge of the house to pull insulation back and install baffles and soffit vents. i heard gable vents aren't that good. should i install gable vents..or should i try to install soffit vents without breaking my back? which one is better? what works best with a ridge vent? is there a better/ easier way?

Answer 1

you need sofit vents and baffles.the air needs to circulate from sofit to ridge .if you need to put soffit vents in you may be able to squeeze the baffles in from the soffit

Answer 2

My roofing subcontractors tell me different, however I still don't think ridge vent works that well.

Air must be able to enter somewhere else to let hot air flow out through ridge vent.

I like the Big gable vents 18" x24" or larger, installed as high up in gable as you can get it. I also suggest a power gable vent fan installed behind the gable vents.

Soffit vents also.

I don't think you can get too much attic ventilation.

I think vent ridge was invented to add to cost of roofing jobs and give roofers something else to sell.

Answer 3

We lived in a house with no attic ventilation.  My husband put gable vents on both ends & that worked very well.

When he later replaced the roof, he then installed a ridge vent; left the gable vents as well.

Good luck whichever way you go!

Answer 4

As for vents, ridge vent is the best.

As for your water spots, it is unlikely due to moistue, but more likely to a leaking roof.

Moisture causes mold, bacteria, and mildew.  But, it is rare to see this, as the attic spaces get extremely hot during the day, and it will dry the moisture out.

One way to tell if your attic space is getting too hot, is the shingles will begin to curl at the edges.

You may try to install a few soffit vents, as they are there for the intake of air, and allows for some air flow.

Its like driving down the road with one window open, no too much air, but when you open two you get much better circulation.