In Mississippi building codes and practices require roof vents to expel moisture and heat that often causes insulation or other building materials to deteriorate. Proper ventilation also reduces the attic’s roof temperatures, thus helping to lengthen roof life span.
A combination of continuous ridge vent along the peak of the roof and continuous soffit vents at the eaves provides the most effective ventilation method. A rule of thumb is to use 1 sq. ft. of net free vent opening for every 150 sq. ft. of insulated ceiling or 1:300 if the insulation has a vapor barrier. The vented attic zone should be divided equally between the ridge and soffits. Cap vents and gable vents can supplement a roof design that has insufficient ridge vent area.
Turbine vents can also be used, although they require annual maintenance.
I don’t recommend you use electrically powered roof ventilators(pictured at right). They consume more energy than they save and they can also remove conditioned air from a home through ceiling leaks and bypasses, pull in unhealthy air pollutants should your home have a crawlspace foundation, and cause exhaust gases from fireplaces and combustion appliances to enter a home.
If you’re remodling, building or buying a home call us for a thorough professinal home inspection.
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