Continuous soffit vent retrofit

S-F · 10-19-11, 01:53 PM

I have a token few measly 1" soffit vents and gable vents and a continuous ridge vent. This isn't good because the lack of lower ventilation will create negative pressure in the attic sucking warm air out of my house! I could put those 4" round vents in pretty easily I guess but a continuous vent will give more ventilation. But how do I install a continuous soffit vent? I'm not really interested in tearing of the gutter, facia and soffit to install a new vented soffit because next spring I'm going to built a new one entirely when I toss 5" of polyiso and a rain screen on. Why can't I just snap 2 lines under there, set the depth of a circular saw so I don't trash the joists or whatever's in there (just like installing a ridge vent) and fit a new continuous vent in? How would I attach it?

Daox · 10-19-11, 02:00 PM

Mine is kind of done the same way you are thinking of. It had wooden soffit and the aluminum soffit (no vent) was just nailed to it. I ripped off the aluminum to find the solid wood behind it and also ripped that out (mostly). I then just nailed up new vented soffit.

S-F · 10-19-11, 02:02 PM

But you tore out the old soffit? Mine's in good shape, just no venting.

Daox · 10-19-11, 02:05 PM

I removed all of the non-vented aluminum. The wood I did as you were thinking and just cut two lines nice and wide to give a good gap for ventilation. Then I nailed up the new alumium vented soffit material.

S-F · 10-19-11, 02:41 PM

Ah, OK. What kind of vent did you use? Could you give me a link? How much work was it? Did you caulk the vent? I'm thinking that this would give better ventilation with less labor.

Daox · 10-19-11, 02:49 PM

I just went to the local home improvement store and tried to get something that matched what I had pulled off. It was just perforated/punched aluminum soffit material, nothing fancy, similar to what is shown below. I just nailed it up, I don't see why caulking would help at all. The more open area the merrier as long as critters can't get through. The pieces all interlock, so that shouldn't be an issue.

S-F · 10-19-11, 02:58 PM

Ahhhhhhhh. I see now. You already had siding that you removed and replaced. I don't have any siding on the soffit. Aluminum everywhere else but none on the soffit and fascia. I'm going to have to figure out something.

ThomSjay · 10-19-11, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S-F

I have a token few measly 1" soffit vents and gable vents and a continuous ridge vent. This isn't good because the lack of lower ventilation will create negative pressure in the attic sucking warm air out of my house! I could put those 4" round vents in pretty easily I guess but a continuous vent will give more ventilation.

You're going that way, but I went this way. I got a hole saw and put one 4" round vent between each joist. I never figured out the total vented area ratio but previously there was no venting of the attic except for approx. 24-30 sq.in. vent at the peak at each end of the attic.

S-F · 10-19-11, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomSjay

You're going that way, but I went this way.

Huh? Which way am I going?

PaleMelanesian · 10-20-11, 08:24 AM

My soffits are plywood. I currently have NO ventilation, either soffit or ridge. I'm considering one of these options, especially the 2nd one. I'll do a shallow skilsaw cut to avoid the framing and then screw them into place.

Shop CMI Galvanized Soffit Vent at Lowes.com
Shop Air Vent 16" x 8" Mill Undereave Vent at Lowes.com
Shop CMI White Aluminum Face On Vent at Lowes.com
Shop CMI Galvanized Two Way Vent at Lowes.com

10-19-11, 01:53 PM	#1
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	Continuous soffit vent retrofit I have a token few measly 1" soffit vents and gable vents and a continuous ridge vent. This isn't good because the lack of lower ventilation will create negative pressure in the attic sucking warm air out of my house! I could put those 4" round vents in pretty easily I guess but a continuous vent will give more ventilation. But how do I install a continuous soffit vent? I'm not really interested in tearing of the gutter, facia and soffit to install a new vented soffit because next spring I'm going to built a new one entirely when I toss 5" of polyiso and a rain screen on. Why can't I just snap 2 lines under there, set the depth of a circular saw so I don't trash the joists or whatever's in there (just like installing a ridge vent) and fit a new continuous vent in? How would I attach it?

10-19-11, 02:00 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Mine is kind of done the same way you are thinking of. It had wooden soffit and the aluminum soffit (no vent) was just nailed to it. I ripped off the aluminum to find the solid wood behind it and also ripped that out (mostly). I then just nailed up new vented soffit. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-19-11, 02:05 PM	#4
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I removed all of the non-vented aluminum. The wood I did as you were thinking and just cut two lines nice and wide to give a good gap for ventilation. Then I nailed up the new alumium vented soffit material. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-19-11, 02:49 PM	#6
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I just went to the local home improvement store and tried to get something that matched what I had pulled off. It was just perforated/punched aluminum soffit material, nothing fancy, similar to what is shown below. I just nailed it up, I don't see why caulking would help at all. The more open area the merrier as long as critters can't get through. The pieces all interlock, so that shouldn't be an issue. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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10-19-11, 02:02 PM	#3
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	But you tore out the old soffit? Mine's in good shape, just no venting.

10-19-11, 02:41 PM	#5
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	Ah, OK. What kind of vent did you use? Could you give me a link? How much work was it? Did you caulk the vent? I'm thinking that this would give better ventilation with less labor.

10-19-11, 02:58 PM	#7
S-F You Ain't Me Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northampton MA Posts: 662 Thanks: 6 Thanked 71 Times in 58 Posts	Ahhhhhhhh. I see now. You already had siding that you removed and replaced. I don't have any siding on the soffit. Aluminum everywhere else but none on the soffit and fascia. I'm going to have to figure out something.

10-20-11, 08:24 AM	#10
PaleMelanesian Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 118 Thanks: 4 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	My soffits are plywood. I currently have NO ventilation, either soffit or ridge. I'm considering one of these options, especially the 2nd one. I'll do a shallow skilsaw cut to avoid the framing and then screw them into place. Shop CMI Galvanized Soffit Vent at Lowes.com Shop Air Vent 16" x 8" Mill Undereave Vent at Lowes.com Shop CMI White Aluminum Face On Vent at Lowes.com Shop CMI Galvanized Two Way Vent at Lowes.com