The main idea of the ridge vent is to act together with soffit venting to properly ventilate the attic.
How to ventilate attic without soffit vents.
Grab a flashlight and inspect your attic during the winter.
Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles including small round discs and rectangular grilles.
When hot air rises up through the soffit venting it then keeps rising all the way up to the ridge vent.
It must also circulate.
For the best results place roof ventilation near the roof s peak and soffit vents in the eaves.
Even without soffit venting it is important to provide an air gap at the soffit level to help keep the roof deck dry.
Air flows in through the soffit vents and out through the roof vents.
For more information on ventilation and moisture control read this article i wrote on proper attic ventilation it s my position that you should have a proper ventilation system in your attic and that you should always take the time to air seal the floor of the attic.
With a soffit venting is not much of a challenge.
For this reason the square footage of vent space at the base.
It s pulled into the attic from the soffit where it warms up and becomes lighter and less dense and then escapes through the vent in the gable.
This pressure creates a vacuum drawing in the cold air to replace the hot air that has been lost through the gable.
The important thing to remember is the air must flow through the attic to the roof vents somewhere near the ridge of the roof.
If you see dampness or frost you need better roof ventilation and some attic vents.
Roof eave venting on roofs with no overhang or soffit how to correct improper or inadequate attic or under roof ventilation in buildings detecting and correcting attic condensation and preventing ice dam leaks in buildings how to correct improper or inadequate attic or under roof ventilation in buildings.
The function of soffit vents.
These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave.
For proper ventilation it isn t enough for air to simply get into your attic.
This creates a natural suction phenomenon where the ridge vent is sucking air out of the soffit vents creating a natural ventilation cycle.
Cooler air is heavier and denser.
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Thankfully there are some ways around this dilemma.
Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof.
However if the home has no soffit it is quite a different matter.