Did you have any trouble with insulation getting in the way of your soffit vents? That was a headache for me.
You’re not alone there. I see blocked soffits all the time—usually from folks blowing in insulation without baffles. It’s one of those things that seems minor but can really mess with airflow. Good on you for sealing up the gaps, too. Most people underestimate how much those little leaks add up. The ridge vent whistling is almost always an install thing in my experience, but sometimes it’s just the wind hitting it right. Sounds like you’ve got things dialed in pretty well now.
I see blocked soffits all the time—usually from folks blowing in insulation without baffles.
Same here. When I helped my uncle redo his attic, we found half the soffit vents totally buried. He swore the insulation guys installed baffles, but nope, just wishful thinking. It’s wild how much difference a few inches of airflow can make up there. I’m still not convinced ridge vent whistling is always an install issue, though—sometimes it feels like it’s just luck with the wind direction.
You nailed it about airflow making a huge difference. I’ve seen attics where just clearing out a couple soffit vents dropped the temp by 20 degrees—no exaggeration. It’s wild how often insulation crews skip baffles or just shove them in halfway, then call it good. I get why folks don’t check after, but it’s almost always worth crawling up there to see for yourself.
About ridge vent whistling, I’m with you—sometimes it’s install, sometimes it’s just the way the wind hits the house. I’ve had jobs where we did everything by the book and still got a little noise on gusty days. Other times, a small tweak to the vent or even the shingles around it made a difference. There’s a bit of trial and error, honestly.
Anyway, it’s good seeing people actually pay attention to attic airflow. Most problems I run into could’ve been avoided if someone just checked those vents before piling on more insulation.
I hear you on the soffit vents making a big difference, but I’ve actually run into a few cases where just opening them up wasn’t enough—especially in older homes with weird rooflines or lots of insulation blocking airflow. Sometimes you really do need to add more vents or even a powered fan to get things moving. And about ridge vent noise, I’ve found that some of the newer vent designs are quieter, but they don’t always move as much air. It’s kind of a trade-off. Not everything’s as straightforward as the manuals make it sound...
Not everything’s as straightforward as the manuals make it sound...
Ain’t that the truth. I’ve had a few properties where just clearing soffit vents did almost nothing because the insulation was packed in so tight—like, who thought that was a good idea? Ended up crawling around with a baffle and a flashlight, sweating buckets. I’m with you on the powered fans, though. Sometimes you just need to force the issue, especially in those old houses with funky rooflines. But yeah, those “quiet” ridge vents… quieter maybe, but I swear they barely move air on a still day. It’s always a balancing act.
