I get what you’re saying, but I’ve seen a few cases where the old gable vents just weren’t cutting it—especially on houses with complicated rooflines or in super humid climates. Sometimes you really do need to add a ridge vent or even a powered fan if the airflow just isn’t happening, no matter how clear your soffits are. But yeah, I’ve also crawled through more than one attic where the only real problem was insulation blocking the soffit vents. People spend a ton on upgrades when a $10 baffle would’ve done the trick.
Curious if anyone’s actually measured their attic temps before and after making changes? I keep meaning to stick a sensor up there but never get around to it. Wondering how much of a difference these tweaks actually make, especially in places with brutal summers.
- I actually did stick a temp sensor in my attic last summer. Before adding baffles, it was hitting 130°F by mid-afternoon.
- After clearing soffits and putting in baffles, it dropped to about 115°F, which felt huge.
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— 100% agree here. I almost paid for a ridge vent install before realizing insulation was blocking half the airflow.“People spend a ton on upgrades when a $10 baffle would’ve done the trick.”
- My roof is pretty simple (asphalt, low pitch), but even then, just fixing the basics made a noticeable difference.
- Good to hear you saw a temp drop after adding baffles. I see a lot of attics where blocked soffits are the main culprit, not lack of vents.
- Curious if you noticed any changes in your upstairs temps or AC usage after fixing the airflow? Sometimes folks expect miracles, but 15° is still a solid improvement.
- Did you check for any moisture issues after the changes? Sometimes better airflow exposes hidden leaks or condensation spots.
- Had a similar situation last year—added baffles and cleared out the soffits. Noticed about a 10° drop in attic temps, which helped upstairs a bit, but didn’t make the AC obsolete or anything.
- One thing I didn’t expect: after the airflow improved, I found some old staining near a vent pipe. Never noticed moisture before, so I guess better air found the problem spots. Worth poking around up there if you haven’t already.
- Agree on blocked soffits being sneaky. Mine looked fine from outside but were packed with insulation. Easy fix once you know what to look for.
Funny how you never really know what’s lurking up there till you let the attic breathe a bit. I’ve seen folks swear their soffits were clear, only to find them stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey with insulation. Good call on poking around for old stains—sometimes better airflow just means you spot the ghosts hiding in the attic. Ten degrees is nothing to sneeze at, either... every little bit helps when summer hits.
