Soffit vents are half of an attic’s ventilation system.
Why it matters: Balancing air intake and exhaust is the key to removing moisture and heat from your attic.
- Protecting your shingles from premature damage and your structure from rot and mold.
⚙️ How it works: Different types of exhaust vents require a different number of soffit vents.
- Soffit vents won’t work well if they are blocked on top (usually from blown-in insulation) or clogged (usually from years of painting them).
🧮 By the numbers: Ventilating a 2000 square foot attic would have these requirements with 4” by 16” soffit vents: (Most common soffit vent sizes are 4” by 16” and 8” by 16”)
👉 Ridge vent: 44 feet of ridge vent, 20 soffit vents.
👉 Box vents: 10 box vents, 20 soffit vents.
👉 Turbines: 3 turbines, 32 soffit vents.
👉 Power vents: 2 power vents, 62 soffit vents.
✅ For your Smart Homeowner list
- A few other factors should be considered — feel free to email me with questions.
- If you decide to add power vents, make sure you have enough soffit intake — or all the air the vents are moving will be sucked from inside your house!
Best,
Travis