Soffit Ridge Vent Attic Fan

They re most effective when used in conjunction with a continuous ridge vent.

Soffit ridge vent attic fan.

The downside of attic ventilation fans. An attic s intake vents are most commonly installed directly in the soffit either as individual vents spaced every few feet or as one continuous perforated soffit running the entire length of the. In a properly designed passive system air enters through the soffit. I really like the idea of just using a ridge vent and soffit vents but my concern is that the shallow pitch and long distance from the soffit to the ridge will not allow for efficient upward movement of air.

In the summer roof vents will reduce the air temperature which reduces air conditioning and in the winter they reduce the humidity level of the cold air which in turn reduces costs for heating. Soffit vents come in several sizes and styles including small round discs and rectangular grilles. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof along the underside of the eave. The attic fan would go on the gable end and push outside air into the attic space to keep it the same as the outside temp.

Attic fan ventilation attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents soffit and gable and pushing hot air to the outside. Also since the fan is powered by the sun it should turn off when the sky is overcast during a storm which will keep it from drawing rain into the attic. Ridge vents are a passive system simply allowing hot air to rise up through them rather than pushing it out as a fan does. Hvi recommends a ratio of 60 to 40 for soffit ventilation to gable or ridge ventilation.

Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool. The ventilation that controls moisture from condensation and regulates the temperature in your attic relies on air circulation. However if your attic has blocked soffit vents and is not well sealed from the rest of the house attic fans will suck cool conditioned air up out of the house and into the attic. Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.

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. However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic. Roof vents are extremely important when it comes to attic ventilation. Roof vents are available in many styles and materials.

Like attic fans ridge vents are designed to exhaust air that is already inside the attic.