Need Attic Ventilation Advice

jobondur

I need some help with determining how I should ventilate my attic as it’s always super hot up there in the summer and the main part of my house has basically no venting. Below you should see a diagram of my ranch-style single story house with it broken up into four sections (A-D). Sections B & C are the original house, sections A & D are later additions. When sections A & D were added on the roofing was left in place but small pass-throughs were cut that are barely wide enough for a man to get through. That being said, I think I basically have three separate areas that I need possibly different sets of advice for (you tell me). Here are the facts:

1. I have no soffit vents that I know of
2. Section A has a power vent and 1 non-power vent, however the non-power vent could be for the bathroom ventilation fan
3. Section D has four non-power vents and a gable vent
4. Section B has 1 no-power vent, however this could be for a bathroom ventilation fan
5. Section C has no ventilation at all
6. Section D is a cathedral ceiling and is basically inaccessible in the attic because of how tight it is
7. The square footages for each section are A – 440, B – 1,560, C – 430, D – 420, Total – 2,850
8. I don’t know the pitch of the roof but you can easily walk around on it, standard ranch style roof
9. Ridge length for section A is 13’, for section B is 33’, for section C is 12’
10. The roof has hips on the ends of sections A and C and the front of section B is a hip. Section D is an A-roof that ties into the ridge of section C. I tried to draw this but it may not be clear.
11. The drawing is actually to scale.

So what would be the best/easiest way to vent this puppy? I’m thinking install soffit vents for each section and then a ridge vent on section B. Leave everything else the way it is. Is that sufficient?

Also, my power vent is quite loud. It’s nailed to the trusses and causes a loud vibration. I tried adding rubber grommets but it’s still kind of loud. How can I fix this if I need to keep it?

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jobondur

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. This house is in Virginia Beach, VA where it gets pretty hot and humid in the summers but we don't have much snow fall at all in the winter.

Roofmaster417

Soffit and a complete ridge vent with a thermostat power vent for those hot summer day's.. Depending on the age of the power vent you might do well by upgrading to a cleaner more effecient unit.,Just saying.

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Windows on Wash

+1

If the ridge is good and open and the soffits are good, that should probably be enough.

I would air seal the attic floor prior to insulating and you will definitely be fine at that point.

Ambient humidity is not the issue. The issue is humidity generated in the home when outdoor air is dry/cold.

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Gary in WA

Air seal as WoW said, then wrap the AC ducts, if there. You don't want the outside air in: http://www.joelstiburek.com/topten/south.htm

Especially if ducts are there, then a conditioned attic would be better:http://www.buildingscience.com/docum...on?full_view=1

Gary

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