Loft Ventilation


Does your home have a loft? If so, you need to make sure that this space is properly ventilated. Ensuring that your loft has proper ventilation will help you avoid several problems and increase the energy efficiency of your home.

Misconceptions About Loft Ventilation

Several of the most common misconceptions about loft ventilation are:

  • More is better
  • Only applicable to homes in certain areas
  • Will make a home too cold

Since proper loft ventilation is essential for keeping your home in good shape, it’s easy to see why some homeowners make the assumption that it’s a good idea to add as many vents to their loft as possible. However, the reason this assumption is incorrect is because adding more vents than your loft actually needs can reduce the effectiveness of its ventilation. If you’re wondering about the ideal range of ventilation, experts agree that you should add one square foot for every 300 square feet of loft space you have in your home.

The next mistake homeowners make is believing that loft ventilation is only needed for homes that are located in areas with a very hot climate. But the reason every home needs proper loft ventilation is because in addition to heat, ventilation also keeps moisture under control. This ties into the last misconception. Some homeowners think that ventilating their loft is going to make their home too cold during the winter months. However, since ventilation is actually about keeping a balanced temperature in your loft, it is needed during the winter to keep moisture from accumulating and mold from starting to grow.

What’s the Best Way to Ventilate Your Loft?

You will get the best results from your loft ventilation if you use a combination of ridge vents, baffles and soffit vents. The reason that it’s important to use baffles in addition to the vents is because they will ensure that air gets pulled out of the loft. If only vents are used, there’s a chance that outdoor air will flow through this space without pulling much of the existing indoor air with it. One of the reasons why soffit vents are such a popular choice among homeowners is because they face downwards. As a result, they are able to keep rain and other unwanted outdoor elements from getting into a loft. By placing them on the lower portion of your roof, you can maximize the efficiency of your ventilation.

How Much Do Soffit Vents Cost?

Not only are soffit vents effective, but they’re also very affordable. The two main characteristics that set soffit vents apart from each other are their color and their shape. Brown, black and white are the most common colors used for soffit vents. The two main shapes of soffit vents are round and continuous. For round vents, it’s not unusual for them to cost less than $1 a piece. For continuous vents, their price can range from $2 to $5 a piece. Where a specific vent falls within this range will be determined by its length.

 

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Loft Ventilation

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