Hey everyone! I'm a first-time poster and I'm looking for some solid advice on attic ventilation. Currently, we have three gable vents in our attic, and it's heating up to around 115 degrees on an 85-degree day. I've gotten several quotes for improvements, but they all offer different solutions, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Here's what I've been told:
1. One contractor suggests closing off the gable vents and installing edge and ridge vents since we can't add soffit vents. This would cost about $2500.
2. Another company recommends keeping the gable vents open and just adding a ridge vent for $1500.
3. A third option is to maintain the gable vents and add regular roof vents, which would cost around $960.
I'm really looking for the best way to ventilate our attic since the heat from there is making our upstairs bedrooms unbearable. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
Have you checked how well your insulation and air sealing are at the attic floor? The actual temperature in the attic may not be a major issue if the humidity isn’t high and if there's good air sealing and insulation. It’s great to keep in mind that attic ventilation is mostly for moisture management rather than just cooling the space.
If the heat in the attic is seeping into your house, you might need to focus on improving the insulation instead of just adjusting the ventilation.
A local insulation company said our insulation looks fine. That's why we started looking into ventilation instead!