Roll Vent / Ventilation Question

Hi,

So what other changes where made to the house? New windows, furnace, AC…

There have been no other changes, other than the re-shingle and the change of the ridge vent. Same furnace, windows, a/c, etc…

The baffles don’t extend to the ridge vent, they only extend up about 4-5 feet or so of the sheathing. Icing hasn’t been a problem…roof is generally either completely snow covered or when it gets warm and sunny it melts off fairly evenly…although I guess the bottom 3 feet or so melts last.

Knee wall? I can’t really see into or below the baffles, so I don’t know for sure if anything is blocking…but I doubt it, since there wasn’t a problem with the aluminum vent she had before.

I am just thinking the roll vent is an inferior design as far as venting goes, it’s better for appearance and bug infestation. I’m think I am just going to rip it off and re-do it with the hard plastic baffle design type. Probably have to re-shingle the top row of shingles too since I won’t trust it not to leak after pulling it off.

The reason i asked is this, normally when there is a white soffit vent like you have it is dirty when it is working. Unless you just cleaned the siding ill bet that the soffit is blocked. With any ridge vent you must have good intake, and if both systems were working you would not have ice damning like you have spoke of. I would check to see if the soffit is really open and not blocked or even cut open. I see siding companies throw up the perferated soffit material and never open the soffit up and this is not uncommon. In reguards to the melting of snow you have an insualtion problem that is a lack of. I suggest insualting to an R-49 value and it should remove the melting of the snow.

So how do you suggest I check to see if the soffits are clear? It never occured to me they would put up the vinyl soffit material and not open it up underneath them…plus the styrofoam baffles are in the attic, indicating that everything should be clear.

Hi,

He is not saying ice dams are an issue.

SOrry must have been another post. I get them mixed up from time to time. Either way, the mold issue. What i would do is clear out the insulation and see if you can see outside light do it during the day, yes it will be warm in there. If you can not see light that is your problem. Then i would suggest here where it gets expensive, remove the soffit materail along with the guttlers and aluminum trim and open those up so the soffit can breath then go buy yourself some ridge vent with an external baffle not that roll junk.

Many contractors get lazy or do not know any better when it comes to properly ventilating a home. As a result the siding guys dont know any better and they just throw up the material and not worry about it. If the soffit is not dirty then it is not working. Remove the old ridge vent and put up some good stuff. Wait about a couple of weeks and see if the soffit is dirty at all. If not you are blocked. THen do what i put above to repair it.