# Attic ventilation dilemma



## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

I have condensation forming on upper exterior walls located inside the house. There are gable end vents and ridge vent in place. The soffitt is not vented.
How hard is it to install soffitt vents?
Any other suggestions or solutions would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

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## Celtic Archer (Nov 16, 2009)

It depends on what type of material your installing the soffit vents into, but it usually isn't very difficult to do. Their also needs to be proper vents installed in the attic to allow the air to flow from the soffit vents into the attic space. Any area where air can become trapped inside the attic needs venting too.I'm not sure your condensation issue is being caused by lack of attic ventilation if you are having the problem this time of year. Sounds like it may be a lack of insulation. Like how a single pain window will frost up on the inside in the colder months.


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## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

Let me back up a little, I started this on my phone, which is a pain to type with.

I am the renting out a house to a young couple, they were concerned about the amount of propane they were using. I looked in the attic and found very little insulation, in fact some of the bays were void of insulation. I rented a blower and blew in a foot of celulose over the entire attic. A week later I get a call about moisture in the house. I went and checked it out, yep, moisture (condensation) on upper walls and in some places the ceiling, all occurring on exterior walls.
I am assuming this is all due to improper ventilation.
I tried to keep the isulation away from the roof where it meets the outside walls but I don't know how that worked out.

I am thinking: get up in the attic and rake the insulation away from where the roof meets the top of the outside walls, then install soffit vents. 

does this make any sense?


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## kristo27 (Mar 25, 2009)

Install a power roof vent problem solved very easy to install 

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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Your problem is not ventilation rather it is a lack of insulation. 
Where condensation forms, you have temperature extremes. One side of the drywall is warm especially at the ceiling and the other side with no insulation, is very cold. Thus, condensation. Similar to breathing on a window during the winter. Pretty much the same result.
The top of your walls, the insulation could have settled and on the same hand the corners of your ceiling insulation did not reach the top plate.

Ceiling is a rather simple fix. Install the styrofoam air baffles to the roof in each rafter bay. Then cut fiberglass insulation batting to install under the baffle. It's ok if the batting protrudes a little into the soffit. You want to make sure you cover the top plates with the insulation. 

The walls however, you may need to remove the siding at the top plate and blow in some additional insulation. At least you won't be crawling on your belly while tackling the exterior portion on the insulation install! lol

As a builder and remodeler, I have come across this very same scenario many times. Trust me.


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## Curt (Jan 5, 2011)

KS,
Big Reds is right IMO. I was thinking the same thing as I read your post. The problem is, most likely, a lack of insulation in the upper walls.


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## MEL (Jul 17, 2005)

KS up north said:


> Any other suggestions or solutions would be appreciated.
> Thanks in advance.



1) furnace humidifyer putting to much warm moisture into the air
2) Do they by chance have any fish aquariums? These can add warm, moist air into the home.
3) Shower/baths: do they shower alot? Does bath room have a GOOD quality bath fan that is venting thru the attic and to the OUTSIDE of the home? Baths are areas that put warm/moist air into a home.
4) Baby in the home? Lots of moms will run a humidifyer in a babys room and unknowingly put TO MUCH humidity into a home.
Ive seen all these and more in homes with moistuer/humidity issues.
Big Reds also has a viable idea.

If you didnt install soffit vents and baffles it would be a good idea to do so. Very minimal costs and reduces the chance of other major issues.


You might be best off calling a home energy auditor and getting their suggestions. There are a few in the Traverse area.
DTE Energy and Consumers and well as Great Lakes Energy amoung most every energy company in Michigan is offering Inulation rebates and cheap or reduced energy audits. Look on you providers web site or call a auditor in your area and ask them.


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## storman (Mar 12, 2008)

You also need to close off the gable vents they are not supposed to be used with ridge vent. Air cones in the gable vent and out the ridge not pulling stale air from the lower areas of the attic.

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## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

Thanks for all the great replies and info.

I went up and raked the cellulose from the soffit areas, I bought some 3" round vent plugs to install, but some of the bays between the rafters are closed off at the end, above the soffit. I may get creative and make up an extension for a hole saw to punch some holes for the air to flow.

I will get up there again and close off the gable end vents.

The bathroom has an exhaust fan, since it is an older house, exhausts up into the attic. 

No fish tanks, or humidifiers.

The house has wood siding. Could I use a hole saw (4 or 5 inches ), then blow in insulation to the upper walls, then plug the holes back up? or is that not advisable?


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

If I remember correctly, the plugs for the blown in are like 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 or so.
When you rent the blower you can buy the plastic plugs where you rent the machine.

Also there is a kit to allow you to vent the exhaust fan through the roof. Easy to install, takes a 4" hole saw. This NEEDS to be done. Moisture in an attic will cause issues you do not want.

Like I stated before though, you need to insulate like I mentioned. 
THAT is your problem, not ventilation.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

You may be able to vent that bath fan out a second hole in the sofit if you don't want to penetrate the roof. Thats how they are in our house and we've not had any problems from moisture etc.


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## mi duckdown (Jul 1, 2006)

Gable vents and ridge vents = NO circulation. Negative pressure.
Plug the gable vents.
Must have soffet vents. Go thru the roof with the bathroom vent..

Google venting a attic.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

scratch my comment... got to thinking, venting it out the sofit, would just redraw the moist air back into the attic, go with a roof vent!


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

storman said:


> You also need to close off the gable vents they are not supposed to be used with ridge vent. Air cones in the gable vent and out the ridge not pulling stale air from the lower areas of the attic.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


 
I had the same issue, blocked them (gable vents)off and stuck with ridge and sofit vents. No more ice or moisture. 

Ridge and gables didnt work at all for me.


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## outdoor junkie (Sep 16, 2003)

Like the others have said block the gable vents, ridge vent and gable vents are trouble. Block those, add insulation if needed, and cut in soffit vents and baffles.


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## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

I have installed the soffit vents, ensured no insulation is blocking the vent process and also blocked off the gable end vents.

I also discovered the waterheater, which is in the crawlspace with the furnace, has a rotted out bottom, which was the moisture source. I am in the process of replacing that.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.


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