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How Much Soffit Venting Do I Need?

Alexander Ross • • 7 min read
How Much Soffit Venting Do I Need?
The general rule of thumb for the amount of soffit ventilation required is to have at least one square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of attic space. However, for roofs with a 30° pitch and over, you can use Vented Soffit which provides the equivalent ventilation of a continuous 10mm wide air gap.

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Also question is, how many feet apart should soffit vents be?

Venting Requirements Builder Tim Carter recommends 60 percent soffit venting. The soffit vents should be evenly spaced on both sides of the roof, just under the edge. They must be kept free of obstructions, and roof insulation shouldn't be any closer than 3 inches.

One may also ask, can you have too much soffit venting? Theoretically you can have too much soffit venting if the system is out of balance dramatically but most homes are out of balance in the wrong direction (i.e. too much exhaust and not enough intake).

Subsequently, question is, how many soffit vents should you have?

The general rule of thumb on the amount of total attic vent space needed is to have at least one square foot of vent space for every 150 square feet of attic area.

Should my soffits be vented?

Soffit vents can be used for intake, but they are not the only means of intake. If you have a vented roof and already have adequate intake venting, you don't need to add more. Additionally, not all roofs need to be vented - there are "hot roof" designs where the rafter bays are insulated and sealed up.

Related Question Answers

How do you tell if your attic is properly ventilated?

Here are four signs of an unventilated or under ventilated attic:
  1. Look at your eaves and roof.
  2. Touch your ceiling on a warm, sunny day.
  3. Thick ridges of ice on your eaves in winter are a sign of poor attic ventilation.

Which direction do you install soffit vents?

It's best to install soffit vents with the open part of the louver facing in toward the house to keep windblown debris out of the attic and prevent water from coming in when the eaves are cleaned with a garden hose or pressure washer.
Alexander Ross
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Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.