Secondly, it removes moisture from insulation and other building materials that may accumulate in the attic during the winter months. In the summer, the sun s heat puts a strain on your home s air conditioning system. This heat builds up in the attic and can be stored there even on cool summer nights. This means higher air conditioning bills and increased strain on all the components of the air conditioning system. By ventilating your attic you can dramatically reduce both of these problems.
Ventilation is needed in two areas to ensure proper air flow through the attic.
First, vents are needed at or near the top of the roof using roof, gable, turbine or continuous vents. Second, soffit vents should be at the lower edge of the roof to allow air to circulate naturally. A combination of high and low vents and a combination of continuous soffit vents and continuous ridge vents is the most effective option. Attics with a ceiling vapor barrier should have a minimum of one square foot of vent area for every 300 square feet of ceiling area.