COMPLETE ATTIC AND SOFFIT VENTILATION SERVICES. QUALITY WORKMANSHIP. PEACE OF MIND.
Soffit Ventilation Service
SOFFIT VENTILATION | Portland, OR
While roof type and pitch may vary from home to home, the necessity for proper attic ventilation is universal. Balanced airflow helps regulate the temperature and humidity levels in your attic space, creating an optimal climate that ensures the health and longevity of your roof. A complete attic ventilation system will include intake vents at the lower points of your roof, such as soffit ventilation, and outflow vents at the higher points to create balanced air circulation throughout the attic space.
Soffit ventilation is a type of venting installed along a home’s soffit–the underside of the roof overhang–for the purpose of allowing outside air to flow into the attic at the lowest point of the roof. Together with roof vents, soffit vents create a passive system that effectively enables air to flow into, up, and out of the attic.
Soffit ventilation is most effective when installed in conjunction with continuous ridge vents. For balanced airflow, it is important to split the soffit vents and air intake equally around the house. Soffit vents are usually installed on two sides of a home for equal distribution. At Pacific West Roofing, our experienced crews are trained to install soffit ventilation systems that will achieve a 1:1 intake to exhaust airflow ratio, equally balanced throughout the attic space.
The complete attic and soffit ventilation systems Pacific West Roofing installs also meet the International Residential Code (IRC) that stipulates a ventilation requirement of one square foot of airflow intake/exhaust for every 300 sq ft of attic floor (1:300 ratio). For example, 2000 square feet of attic space will require 960 square feet of airflow intake/exhaust. Most shingle manufacturers require an even tighter ratio of one square foot of intake/exhaust for every 150 sq. ft of attic space for their extended warranties to be in effect.
Different Types of Soffit Vents
There are two types of soffit vents: rectangular and continuous. Rectangular intake vents are installed in open soffits and are cut into the blocking between the rafters of your home. With continuous venting, the soffit is closed and intake venting is installed all the way around the attic area.
- Rectangular Soffit Vents (Aka Under-Eave Vents and Bird-Block Vents)
Rectangular soffit vents are holes cut into the blocking between the rafters of your roof. They are covered with a screen or under-eave vent that allows air to flow through but prevents birds and insects from entering your attic, depending on the screen or vent.
The under-eave vents Pacific West Roofing typically installs in open soffits are screened aluminum vents that come in three standard sizes: 16″ x 4″, 16″ x 6″, and 16″ x 8″ which provide 28, 42, or 56 square inches of net free area per piece.
- Continuous Soffit Venting
Continuous soffit vents run along the full length of your home’s closed soffit and incorporate a continuous screen or vent that allows continual airflow into your attic at the lowest point. This type of soffit ventilation can only be installed in closed soffits where the roof rafters are not visible.
The Edge Vent™ is another type of continuous soffit intake vent that is well suited for both new home construction and older homes with little or no roof overhang. Rather than the traditional continuous soffit vent, the Edge Vent is a roof-top installed, shingle-over intake vent that will provide 9 square inches of net free area of airflow intake per linear foot. This type of continuous venting can also be used to supplement existing soffit or under eave vents as well. Pacific West Roofing is a qualified Edge Vent installer.
Complete Soffit Ventilation System
A properly balanced attic ventilation system will include both airflow intake vents and exhaust vents. With soffit venting, a complete ventilation system will include ridge vents or box vents to allow warmer attic air to escape at the highest elevation points of the roof.
- Continuous Ridge Vents
A continuous ridge vent is an airflow exhaust vent that runs the entire length of the roof peak. Years of research prove that a ridge vent with external baffles and an internal weather filter, combined with under-eave soffit venting, is the most efficient attic ventilation system you can install. As this type of venting also blends into the roofline, it is the most visually appealing type of roof ventilation.
At Pacific West Roofing, our trained and experienced roofing and ventilation technicians will not only install the best roof for your home but will also install the right attic and soffit ventilation system that delivers proper air circulation to protect the lifespan of your roof. We can also inspect your attic for mold or moisture–two signs that your attic is not properly ventilated.
If your attic has not been properly vented, or any of your vents are damaged, Pacific West Roofing can upgrade your attic’s ventilation system, install the requisite soffit vents and exhaust vents, or replace damaged vents.
Contact us today to learn more about our residential roofing, attic, and soffit ventilation services, or schedule your attic and roof inspection. We are located in Hubbard, OR, and serve the entire greater Portland Metro area. Our friendly and knowledgeable office staff is ready to help you.
For more information about attic and soffit ventilation, check out this blog post Why Roof Ventilation Matters.
For more information and answers to your questions about residential roof installation, maintenance, and repair check out these Frequently Asked Questions. If you have questions about your home’s soffit ventilation, give us a call—we would be more than happy to answer your questions.
Pacific West Roofing has been serving the Greater Portland Metro Area with residential and commercial roofing new installation and replacements, as well roof, attic, and soffit ventilation inspection, maintenance, and repairs for more than 40 years. Pacific West Roofing is your leading choice for roof maintenance services in the Portland, OR area. Contact us to learn more about our services!