What is the best way to ventilate a loft?
The most popular roof ventilation solution is to have soffit vents providing cool, fresh air into the loft from a low level, and a tile vent or ridge vent at a high level for the warm stale air to exit the building.
Does a cold roof need roof ventilation?
All cold roofs should have some form of roof ventilation in place to prevent warm air condensing in the loft. The most popular roof ventilation solution is to have soffit vents providing cool, fresh air into the loft from a low level, and a tile vent or ridge vent at a high level for the warm stale air to exit the building.
What happens if you don’t ventilate your loft?
In some cases during the winter months, moisture build-up in unventilated lofts can have devastating consequences, from causing damp, mould and ice damming, to potentially rotting the timber that holds the roof together. How Can Roof Ventilation Fight Condensation In The Loft?
How does a cold loft ventilator work?
How it works. The basic requirements for ventilating a traditional cold loft space are that air should enter the loft at the lowest point on one side of the roof and exit on the opposite side of the roof.
When do we think about loft ventilation?
Why Has Loft Ventilation Become a Hot Topic in Recent Years?
What is a circular soffit?
Why was the loft area warmer than the house?
How to reduce condensation in loft?
What causes water to vent into loft?
Can water vapour get into loft?
See 2 more
How do you ventilate a loft space?
The most popular roof ventilation solution is to have soffit vents providing cool, fresh air into the loft from a low level, and a tile vent or ridge vent at a high level for the warm stale air to exit the building.
What happens if attic is not vented?
A poorly or improperly ventilated attic can cause early degradation of your roof. Moisture accumulation in the attic can cause nails, flashing, and duct straps to rust, resulting in damaging leaks. Excessive moisture can also allow for the growth of mold and mildew beneath your shingles, causing them to rot.
Should my loft be drafty?
While a drafty house is a bad thing, drafty attics are actually a good thing when it comes to proper ventilation! Here's why: Attic insulation works best when it is dry. In the winter, attic insulation can get damp from humidity that works its way up from the heated spaces below.
Should there be ventilation in the attic?
Ventilation should be placed in a way that allows air to enter from along the eaves and exit through the roof's peak. Common conventions call for one square foot of attic ventilation per 300 square feet of ceiling space. However, some authorities recommend one square foot of attic ventilation per 150 square feet.
How do you tell if attic is properly vented?
How to tell if your attic is properly ventedExcessively warm living areas caused by the heat having no place to go.Moisture or frost in your attic during the winter.Ice dams forming at the edge of your roof in winter.The lack of vents in your eaves or exhaust vents on your roof.Rotting or decaying home exterior.More items...•
How much does it cost to add ventilation to an attic?
Attic fan installation costs an average of $597. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $369 and $877. Depending on the quality of the unit you choose, location, and add-ons, the project can run as little as $200, or as much as $1,300.
How do you make a loft hatch airtight?
If the loft hatch is hinged, you will need to put either the compression seal or the foam strip on the outside perimeter on the top of loft hatch. You will also need to put an equivalent strip on the inside of the hatch frame so that the two strips meet, creating an airtight barrier to stop the draughts.
Can a loft have too much ventilation?
Having too many vents in your roof can increase the chances of water leaking into your loft space and causing damage. Not enough and moisture won't be able to escape, leading to problems associated with condensation build up. The amount of ventilation required is dependent on your roof size, shape and material.
Should I feel a breeze in my attic?
You may actually be able to feel a slight breeze -- an indication that the vents are pulling air outside. In the winter, look carefully to see if moisture is condensing on the framing members or on the insulation. This will happen when the attic temperature is low and there is little air circulation.
What's the best way to ventilate an attic?
Rafter vents should be placed in your attic ceiling in between the rafters at the point where your attic ceiling meets your attic floor. Once they are in place, you can then place the batts or blankets, or blow insulation, right out to the very edge of the attic floor.
Does attic air get into house?
If your attic has air leaks, cracks, and small openings, that polluted and unhealthy attic air can get into your house and living spaces.
Why does an attic need to breathe?
Proper ventilation of the attic space reduces the surface temperature of the roof, eliminating moisture that can eat away at your home. The best way to achieve balanced ventilation in your attic is to create continuous airflow along the entire underside of the roof sheathing.
Are insulation baffles necessary?
Attic baffles, or rafter vents, are an essential part of keeping your home well-ventilated and reducing the moisture on top of your house. If you want a well-ventilated attic that doesn't regularly grow mold for you to remove, you'll want to make sure your home is properly aired out.
What is a conditioned attic?
Unvented attics are also often referred to as conditioned attics – when they are part of the house that is heated and cooled – and when the insulation is at the roof deck (directly under it, directly on top of it, or a combination of both). Note that unvented attics do not always have to be conditioned.
Does attic foam insulation work?
The Department of Energy estimates that a properly insulated attic can shave 10 to 50 percent off your heating bill. And it works the opposite way for warm climates; in summer, it helps stabilize your house's indoor temps to keep cooling needs in check.
Are roof vents needed on mobile home?
The Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS) requires that attics in all double-section and shingled, single-section homes be ventilated.
How do you know if you have proper loft ventilation? - Findley Roofing
How can we help? Call us today: 0191 417 3422 (24-hour emergency helpline) [email protected]; [email protected]; Sales team: Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm
Ventilation of the loft space | NBS
In this extract from the Loft Conversion Project Guide, by the Construction Products Association, we look at good practice techniques and information on the need to provide ventilation to the converted roof.. When carrying out a loft conversion, ventilation is a very important issue. Depending on the planned use of the converted loft, you will need to consider ventilation to either two or ...
What is loft conversion project?
The Loft Conversion Project Guid e is an easy-to-use guide to loft conversions and provides architects, building control, builders and DIY enthusiasts with up-to-date and reliable guidance on achieving compliance with the Building Regulations.
How deep should a ceiling vent be?
To minimize the risk of interstitial condensation occurring, it is necessary to provide a well-sealed ceiling and to ensure that 50mm deep vented voids (at least 25mm deep at the centre of the drape) are maintained between the insulation and the underlay. It is important that these air paths remain unobstructed during the life of the building.
Why do roofs have voids?
There are many forms of roof where, for constructional reasons, there is a small void above the insulation. To minimize the risk of interstitial condensation occurring, it is necessary to provide a well-sealed ceiling and ensure that there is sufficient air movement between the underlay and the roof covering to allow moist air to migrate to the atmosphere. For air-open outer coverings no specific provision for batten-space ventilation is required, but for tight outer coverings batten-space ventilation should be provided (as outlined above for Type LR underlay fully supported on insulation with no void).
What is a VCL sheet?
A VCL is generally 500 gauge (120 micron) polyethylene sheet. To minimize the risk of interstitial condensation occurring, it is necessary to provide a well-sealed ceiling and ensure that there is sufficient air movement between the underlay and the roof covering to allow moist air to migrate to the atmosphere.
How long should a high level opening be?
b. High-level openings should be equivalent in area to a continuous opening of not less than 5mm x length at the ridge or hips.
Do you need a void under a roof?
It is not necessary to provide a void beneath the underlay in roofs of this type, but a vapour control layer (VCL) should be provided below the insulation. Where joints are present in the VCL, they should have at least 100mm laps and be well sealed. A VCL is generally 500 gauge (120 micron) polyethylene sheet.
How Can Roof Ventilation Fight Condensation In The Loft?
All cold roofs should have some form of roof ventilation in place to prevent warm air condensing in the loft. The most popular roof ventilation solution is to have soffit vents providing cool, fresh air into the loft from a low level, and a tile vent or ridge vent at a high level for the warm stale air to exit the building.
Why is roof ventilation important?
As you can see, having the right roof ventilation installed is essential in both summer and winter to avoid the respective effects of solar gain and condensation. How much ventilation you need will depend on how bad your condensation appears to be as and if you have recently added insulation to the home.
What type of roof vent terminals are used for flat roofs?
Flat roof vent terminals are available for flat roof ventilation and can be used with all popular flat roofing materials, from EPDM and bitumen, to PVC and felt. Many of our flat roof ventilation and pitched roof vents are available for delivery in 1 working day.
What is enclosed void in pitched roof?
The enclosed void of a warm pitched roof with insulation fitted along the line of the rafters means ventilation is not normally required.
What happens to a loft in winter?
In some cases during the winter months, moisture build-up in unventilated lofts can have devastating consequences, from causing damp, mould and ice damming, to potentially rotting the timber that holds the roof together.
Do older homes need ventilation?
Older homes that have not had additional insulation fitted will generally not require ventilation if showing no signs of condensation- although this kind of home will naturally be a lot colder for it. Be aware that if your cold roof space is unventilated, the existing loft insulation can soak up the water droplets from condensation above, ...
Can loft insulation soak up water?
Be aware that if your cold roof space is unventilated, the existing loft insulation can soak up the water droplets from condensation above, resulting in the insulation not working as well as it should.
Where do lap vents go?
Lap vents are fitted from inside the loft to the roof’s undersarking. Unlike the other options, which require professionals, lap vents can be fitted by an expert DIYer.
Where are soffit vents?
Soffit vents are fitted to the soffits, on the underside of the roofline. They can either be continuous strips along the soffit or a series of circular vents. If the vents were included when the house was built, they’re likely to be soffit vents. Over fascia vents fit at the top of the roofline, instead of underneath.
Can mould be found on the roof?
You’re likely to find mould spreading over both the underside of the roof and anything you have stored in the loft. Even more seriously, it could create rot in the timbers, and you’ll end up with major structural repairs.
Can you put fascia vents on top of a roof?
Over fascia vents fit at the top of the roofline, instead of underneath. Though not as good at catching updraughts, they don’t attract as much dirt as soffit vents. Roof tile/slate vents can be fitted in place of a tile or slate, and it’s even possible to combine them with a bathroom extractor for added effect.
How far away from vents can wind tunnel?
This can create a wind tunnel across the roof between the large vents and no air movement as little as 600mm away
What is the worst combination of vent tiles?
The worst combination is four large vent tiles positioned at mid span on each face of a pyramid roof in an exposed location.
What is the best way to control condensation in a pitched roof?
In the pitched roofing industry we all know that British Standard 5250, the Code of Practice for the Control of Condensation in Buildings, and the Building Regulations Approved Document F2, have for many years recommended that the way to control the build up of condensation in roofs is through the use of ventilation. While systems that avoid the use of ventilation have been marketed by some companies, ventilation is still the most popular system for complying with Building Regulation F2.
Can you vent a roof with tiles?
Having ventilation tiles halfway up the roof slope. This practice can allow condensation to form below the level of the vents and in calm conditions still traps air up close to the ridge
When do we think about loft ventilation?
Normally we only think about loft ventilation when we have an issue.
Why Has Loft Ventilation Become a Hot Topic in Recent Years?
In the past our homes were poorly insulated and pretty draughty. So water vapour rarely got a chance to build up inside as it was replaced by fresh air coming in via these draughts. Meaning it was removed before it got a chance to create any problems.
What is a circular soffit?
Circular soffit vents which are as they sound, little plastic vents cut into the soft boards. These are usually retrofitted to properties. Quite often when remedial work is being carried out such as installing additional loft insulation or fitting PVC eaves cladding.
Why was the loft area warmer than the house?
At this time loft areas were also warmer than they are today as very few would have been insulated. So any heat in the house would rise up and warm the loft area making it less likely that any water vapour that hadn’t been removed by the draughts in the house would condense in the loft.
How to reduce condensation in loft?
To reduce the chances of condensation you need to increase the ventilation in your loft to try and get rid of any water vapour that may be present , before it manages to condense.
What causes water to vent into loft?
Header tank in loft is warm causing water vapour to vent into the loft (this is a job for a plumber).
Can water vapour get into loft?
These small gaps will allow water vapour to get up into your freshly insulated loft area, where it can come into contact with lots of cold surfaces.
