Basic questions......

Eagle2

I am going to have a new roof installed in a couple weeks and have two questions to ask for your feedbacks. One of the three contractors suggested using GAF Elk Deck Armor. After checking the GAF website, this material seems to be good to have on the roof as it allows moisture to escape. Is this a good suggestion?

I will need to add two vent pipes to exhaust moisture out of the two bathrooms. Currently, the master bath has no exhaust fan, just a window and the hall bath has a fan, but it exhausted into the attic. I know this is not the way it should be, but it was that way when I bought the house. I am going to do it the right way by adding the fans (will replace the fan in the hall bath) in both baths and exhaust to the outside. The contractor told me to buy the vents and he’ll be happy to put them on the roof. I can purchase them at one of the big box stores, but if there is a better quality vent elsewhere, what would it be? Or it doesn’t matter.

Thanks in advance for your feedbacks.

johnk

Not familiar with the deck armor product but am sure that this is a synthetic underlayment which is far superior IMO to felt paper.The more air or cfms a fan moves the better.I would also look in your attic for mold which could be an issue from exhausting fans into the attic.

Ed the Roofer

I checked the website and I feel that if you have a properly balanced ventilation sysyem, the theory they espouse promoting the breathability of the underlayment is greatly exagerated.

http://www.gaf.com/Content/GAF/RES1/...mor.asp?viewer=

That picture of the plywood deck delamination is from excessive heat trappen in the attic, not an unbreathable underlayment.

Check the CFM ratings but the Big Boxes carry Broan, which is the most common I see.

Ed

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Eagle2

Thanks for the replies!

John – I checked the attic the other day for mold where the existing fan is and there isn’t any. That bathroom isn’t used often and we don’t turn on the fan at all. Reason being is for the lack of vent thru the roof. Thank

Ed – Thanks for making a point about the underlayment. I will inform the contractor not to use it. But use the felt instead.

Actually, I am planning to use Fantech to exhaust moisture from both bathrooms.

In an addition, my roof isn’t built in a way to vent the attic properly. I learned about roof ventilation thru this forum and websites. Currently, I have a ridge vent, attic fan, and gable vents on both sides of the house. As for the soffit, there is solid alum. covering with small holes openings every interval. Behind that, there is a cement board with, I am assuming, no holes. I can not stick my head into the soffit area from the attic to confirm if there are any cut out above the small holes. Got poked in the head with nails. Ouch! I don’t feel any breeze coming from the soffit, therefore I am assuming no holes. In that case, I will need to remove the alum. soffit and cut rectangular openings directly above where there are small holes. Should I do that way or since I have to remove the soffit, I can then do it different for air intake. That is length wise ventilation along the length to the soffit. Which method would be better or it doesn’t matter. I know the total sq in openings at the soffits, both sides of the house, have to be the same as the sq in ridge ventilation. So I will do the calculation to determine the size openings.

I am aware the attic fan has to go and that will be done when the contractor is going to work on it. I also am aware the gable vents have to be closed off.

Tonight, when I get home, I can post a picture of the soffit with small holes so you know what I am talking about.


Thanks again

Ed the Roofer

FanTech is a good brand, but I couldn't think of the name at the time.

Regarding the NFVA for the perforated soffit panels you have, a couple of good sites to check out is the alcoa and certainteed web sites on their vented soffit panels. They will list the reported NFA for each of their products.

Remember, that the reported 6 sq into 12 sq in per square foot of the products are only valid if the hole in the old existing wooden soffit is cut out to the entire size of the vented portion of the new soffit panel. The functionability is compromised by the mesh screening, dust accumulation, and possible clogging of the area over the vented panel from loose insulation as well as homeowners painting over the vents or screens themselves.

Also, a much easier way to provide the Fresh Air Intake Ventilation, would be to install a shingle over style vent, such as the Smart Vent, from DCI Products, Inc. I think that all the work involved in removing and replacing all of the soffits and cutting the wood from the bottom is a lot to be doing. The product sells for about $ 3.00 per lineal foot and installs quite easily.

I use it on at least 50 % of all of the jobs that we do.

Ed

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Eagle2

Thanks, Ed, for bringing up the shingle over style vent. That will eliminate the my labor to remove the existing soffit, cutting the openings, and replacing the soffit back in. I am going to mention this to the roofing contractor and see how much more this will be.

Thank again!