A cheap gauge and a flashlight have saved me way more money than I ever expected.
Same here. I didn’t even think about attic humidity until I noticed some weird spots on the ceiling last fall. Bought a $12 gauge, and it was way higher up there than I thought. Ended up adding a vent, but not too many—like you said, too much airflow just made things worse during our muggy weeks. It’s wild how much difference those little checks make.
too much airflow just made things worse during our muggy weeks
Funny how that works, right? I always thought more vents = better, but the humidity here (SE Texas) just made the insulation damp. Did you use baffles, or just regular vents? I ended up swapping to a solar fan and it helped stabilize things.
- I’m still figuring out this vent thing. My builder said “the more airflow the better,” but now I’m not so sure.
- We just have basic soffit vents, no baffles yet. Didn’t even know what a baffle was until last month…
- Humidity here (central NC) is a beast too. Noticed the attic insulation felt kinda clammy after a rain.
- Solar fan sounds interesting—does it kick on automatically or do you control it?
- Honestly, I thought roof stuff was just shingles and nails, but turns out there’s way more to it than that.
THE MORE AIRFLOW, THE MERRIER? NOT ALWAYS…
I get where your builder’s coming from—airflow is good, but there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing, especially in a humid spot like central NC. I’ve seen folks go wild with vents thinking it’ll solve every attic woe, but then they end up with more moisture than a sauna up there. Had a customer once who put in extra roof vents “just to be safe,” and the next spring, I found mushrooms growing out of his insulation. Not the kind you want in an omelet.
Soffit vents are a solid start, but without baffles, you’re basically letting insulation block all that precious airflow. It’s like opening the windows but leaving the curtains closed—air’s not getting where it needs to go. Baffles are cheap insurance, honestly. I’ve crawled through enough attics to know that once insulation gets soggy, it never quite smells right again.
Solar fans… mixed feelings. They do kick on automatically when the attic heats up, but if you don’t have enough intake (like those soffit vents actually working), you can end up pulling conditioned air from your house instead of fresh air from outside. Saw one house where the fan was so strong it made the bathroom vent whistle every time it fired up. Drove the dog nuts.
And yeah, roofing is way more than just shingles and nails. I used to think flashing was just a dance move until I started this gig. Now I’m obsessed with drip edges and ice & water shields. If you ever want to see grown adults argue passionately about ridge vent brands, hang out at a supply yard on a Friday afternoon…
Anyway, don’t let anyone talk you into “more is always better” when it comes to venting—balance is key. Too much exhaust without enough intake just pulls in moisture from wherever it can find it. And in our climate, that usually means trouble.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen folks get talked into “more vents = better” and then call me six months later with mold or soggy insulation. It’s wild how fast things can go sideways, especially around here where humidity is a beast. I always tell people: balance matters more than just slapping on extra vents. Had a client with a fancy solar fan, but no baffles—ended up pulling AC right out of the house. Not exactly energy savings. Regular roof checkups really do pay off, but only if you’re looking for the right stuff.
