How to Install Soffit Vents

Ventilated soffits are perforated with tiny holes that help air pass in and out of your attic space. Combined with a fan, ventilated soffits keep air flowing in the area you need it most.

So, does my roof need soffit vents? A roof may need soffit vents if there is no other ventilation allowing for adequate air movement. However, if the attic space is properly sealed and insulated, there is no need for this type of ventilation. Soffit vents are an easy, aesthetically pleasing way to vent the attic space.

What does the code require? If you plan to install insulation on your attic floor, then most building codes require that the attic be vented. If a roof has only soffit vents and no ridge vents, most codes require 1 square foot of net free ventilation area for every 150 square feet of attic floor area.

The purpose of venting soffits is to evenly distribute an airflow throughout the roof space to ensure the roof remains dry and free from mold.

1. Make Two Parallel Lines. Start by using a chalk reel to snap two parallel lines down the center of the soffit.
2. Cut Parallel Lines.
3. Connect the Two Cuts.
4. Raise the Vent up to the Soffit.
5. Attach the Vent to the Soffit.
6. Remove Any Insulation From the New Vent.
7. Install the Ventilation Baffle.

A soffit vent is simply a vent installed into the underside of your home’s eaves (called the soffit) that permits fresh outside air to be drawn up into the attic.

You can’t have too much soffit venting, but it’s worth noting the minimum requirements. Usually, 4-in. by 16-in. soffit vents are rated for 26 sq.

“If there is not a proper soffit or other intake, then the ridge vent won’t function,” Seeyou writes. The combination of a ridge vent along with continuous soffit vents gives you a flow through of air similar to the way a chimney works. Even without soffit vents, a ridge vent is much more effective than gable vents.”

Most professionals recommend one square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of attic area. This will help you determine how many soffit vents you need. For example, a 15′ x 40′ attic would have a total area of 600 square feet; divided by 150 equals 4 square feet of total ventilated space needed.

Space the soffit vents evenly around the bottom of the low sides of your roof. There are several different types of soffit vents available including continuous, circular, and perforated vents made for vinyl siding.

There are two easy ways to check this. If you can get into the attic when it’s dark (or bring a flashlight but then turn off the attic lights), see if you see light when looking into the eaves – if so there were openings cut. If not there were either no openings or they are blocked.

Whilst they are very effective, there are two slight flaws with soffit vents in my opinion. Firstly they attract dirt and cobwebs with age making them look ugly, and because of the design they are difficult to clean properly later on. Secondly is the occasional possibility of too much ventilation in older properties.

Do soffits need to be vented? The answer to this is, simply, that it depends. Approved Document F, which covers ventilation requirements for buildings in the UK, states that all newly built properties must have continuous ventilation at eaves level. Therefore, eaves ventilation must be provided via vented soffits or over-fascia ventilation.

Aluminum vented soffit is long-lasting, requires very little care, is insect- and rodent-resistant, and comes in a wide range of color options. Ventilated aluminum soffit is a great way of adding more ventilation to your home’s attic and roof.

Tucked up under the overhang of your roof, your soffit helps finish your eaves as well as porch roofs and overhangs.

Fiber cement ventilated soffits are different. Made of the same durable fiber cement as Allura’s siding. And because the vents are perforated right into the soffit itself, there are no additional parts of fail or replace over time either.