Ridge Vent But No Soffit Vents

I have a new install coming up for a builder that wants soffit vent even though there is no ridge vent.

Ridge vent but no soffit vents. Air enters low and then escapes out of the attic higher up near the peak of the roof usually via a ridge vent an attic fan which we do. There current roof has lasted 28 years with just the two gable vents and about four metal roof vents along the 50 ridge. They will be getting a new roof in the coming months and i am wondering if there is anything wrong with adding a ridge vent knowing they have no soffit vents. The attic space will get makeup air to replace the air that the ridge vent has exhausted along the path of least.

The air intake may be at the underside of the stack and anywhere else air could leak into the roofs underside. My first communication was because i started thinking that the ridge vent is vacuuming out the air with no intake since i have no gabel end or sofit vents. By virtue of their design and location on the roof ridge vents are predominantly exhaust devices. Soffit vents but no ridge vent.

Bristol tn climate zone mixed humid. Nathan phelps posted in general questions on december 14 2019 04 42pm hi all first post here. I ve had major ice dam problems the past. The exterior roof has ice blankets under the exterior shingles extending up the roof well beyond the soffit area.

I cannot get back into the roof. Beware of adding a ridge vent without soffit vents the worst or soffit vents without a ridge vent bad or only gable end vents usually bad. Rose a research architect at the building research council at the university of illinois replies. My wife and i bought a craftsman home built in 1924 back in march of this year.

I am trying to decide if i should cut a gabel end after sealing the underside of the stack seal. The builder notched blocking and installed. We just had a new roof installed and none too soon it took 14 new. A ridge vent without a soffit vent doesn t work and here s why.

There is more than adequate insulation installed. Most of the exteriors we install have no soffit vent on living space because the roof is deck is spray foamed. The house has over lapping hips and not enough ridge line to balance soffit vents. The house was built with continuous soffit vents and a ridge vent.

Turns out a 95 year old home is a handful for a pair of first time home buyers. 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. The up draft of air from the building convection current of rising warm air which moves up through most buildings will be increased and will mean unnecessary heat loss if you have a ridge vent to vent air out without also providing good intake.