Ventilation issues

user182

I don’t think it’s a good idea to use a vent that has a filter because that vent will eventually get clogged up by dust and debris. That goes for intake and exhaust vents.

Any vent with a filter wil eventualy clog and you will have virtually no air flow.

Leaves, pollen and dust will eventually clog the filter and make it useless.

That’s why I use ridgevent made by Lamanco, because they are non-filtered.

As for intake vents, I’ve used drip edge vent on houses that don’t have an overhang. I don’t want to use it any more because I found a better product to use.

A customer called me this week with a leak; I did the job about 10 years ago. The house did not have an overhang on the rear and I installed drip edge vent. The gutter is filled up with ice and it’s possible the ice is backing up into the drip edge.
(Could also be a siding leak)

I know you may be using a starter vent but I don’t think they have been on the market long enough to know if they will prevent leakage from ice dams. I would never use one for that reason, plus they have a filter that will clog.

When I encounter a roof that needs a vent at the eave edge I install a product called “The Inhaler”. It’s more like a fascia vent; you have to remove the gutter to install it. Its gets installed behind the gutter.

I feel it’s the best way to ventilate the eave edge because it will not get blocked off by ice in the winter time and it’s non-filtered.

See the picture below.

Attached Images

	Inhaler drawing.jpg (23.2 KB, 147 views)
	Inhaler sampls.jpg (5.8 KB, 145 views)

user182

I know you may be using a starter vent but I don’t think they have been on the market long enough to know if they will prevent leakage from ice dams.

I would never use one for that reason, plus they have a filter that will clog.

See the picture below.

Attached Images

Starter vent.jpg (98.4 KB, 3 views)

Grumpy

I don't like smart vent. I had a discussion with the manufacturers rep at the local CRCA show 2 weeks ago. I know Ed likes it, but here are my qualms. A) How do you NOT get water or ice back up? Assuming you don't get ice backup, the intake becomes essentially useless when it gets covered by snow and ice in the winter time.

His argument to that was the filter was so fine it doesn't allow snow to back up... Right. What about water if tghe gutters are clogged? He said they can't guarantee their product if you don't maintain your own home. Back to the ice, he said ice damning should form with proper ventilation and insulation. To this I totally agreed, then asked him how long he'd been living in Chicago because I can't see a single roof at this moment without an ice damn at the gutter.


The inhaler is a nice product that has taken the place of the false vented fascia we used to build out and install. Much more economical and gets the job done too!

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Roofsafe

In my estimation, smart vent doesn't deliver all the air it is rated to deliver. It starts out at 11/16 inch, short of the 3/4 inch it's advertised at. It enters a 1 inch slot at just under 1/2 inch, why do you need an inch slot for a half inch of intake? Then after you deduct for all the cardboard type fillers you have less intake, add to that the filter glued to the top and bottom covering the face you have to take in account the fact that ALL filters plug up. Thats the job of filters, to plug up because they are made to collect debris to keep it from entering the area they are protecting, how often do you change the filter in roof vents?
Nonfiltered vents to me make good sense, but there is the argument that they allow moisture in the roof, if the wind is blowing and the vent has a vane in front of the opening very little water in the form of rain or snow can enter because of the air flow from the bottom of the roof is equal to the force above the vent, pretty much keeping the water out of the opening.
Other vents that are open on the side allow moisture in because there isn't any way to keep it out, fabric type filters on the bottom of the vents insure that debris that goes in lays on top of the fabric and plugs the vent up.
I've seen all the ways vents can and do plug up over the last 37 years so I do know a little bit about it, any roofers who have been roofing long have undoubtedly seen the same things.

pcplumber

I like to install vents with screens or filters to keep the swarming termites out. Charge the customer an annual fee to clean the screens and filters.

Is it true that a lack of attic vents causes shingles to curl?

Ed the Roofer

More so with Organic Asphalt reinforced shingles than fiberglass shingles, but they too are affected by inadequate attic ventilation.

Ed

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Roofsafe

Jack, you have to put holes through that "inhaler" to install the gutter, isn't that the start of a leak? It's amazing what water can get through, even more when it turns to ice.

Roofsafe

Organic shingles dry out and die, thats what makes them curl here, I think they last longer where there is more moisture. The lifespan here for organics is about eight to twelve years, some contractors have tried IKOs and they last about 7 years. Fiberglass will go the warrenty but get to looking pretty bad in their last years.
But, I have seen old Elk three tabs in the organic go thirty years, diminsional organics I have seen do 25, but they were looking pretty bad after that long.

Grumpy

Yeah but then the water just falls behind the gutter instead of getting inside the soffit.

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Roofsafe

I've seen ice dams go all the way to the ground, the way ice can build (espiecially behind the gutter) any where there is space for it to grow. You ever see gutters full of ice?