-
"Seems like it's not just dormers themselves but how they're placed and sized that really messes with airflow."
- True, placement matters, but honestly attic insulation quality is often overlooked. Seen plenty of attics with decent venting still roasting because insulation was poorly installed or inadequate...worth checking into.
Yeah, insulation definitely plays a big role, but have you guys noticed how often builders overlook intake vents? Everyone talks about ridge vents and dormers, but if the soffit vents aren't sized right or they're blocked by insulation, the whole system struggles. I've seen a few attics where the insulation was actually decent, but the airflow was still terrible because the soffits were either painted shut or had insulation stuffed right up against them.
Also, what about roof pitch? Do you think steeper roofs naturally vent better, or is that just anecdotal? I worked on a project last summer where the attic was roasting even though it had plenty of ridge venting and insulation seemed fine. Turned out the roof was pretty shallow, and air just wasn't moving through it effectively. Once we added some extra intake vents lower down, things improved noticeably.
I guess my point is, maybe it's not just one thing we're overlooking, but a combination of factors—placement of dormers, insulation quality, intake venting, even roof pitch. Seems like each build has its own quirks. Have you guys run into similar situations? Curious if anyone else has found other less obvious issues affecting attic ventilation...
"Also, what about roof pitch? Do you think steeper roofs naturally vent better, or is that just anecdotal?"
I've wondered about this too. From my experience, steeper roofs do seem to vent a bit better naturally—hot air rises faster and creates a stronger draw. But honestly, I've seen shallow roofs vent just fine if the intake vents are properly placed and clear. Another sneaky issue I've run into is improperly installed bathroom exhaust fans dumping moisture straight into the attic...talk about hidden problems. Has anyone else noticed this?
From my experience, steeper roofs do seem to vent a bit better naturally—hot air rises faster and creates a stronger draw. But honestly, I've seen shallow roofs vent just fine if the intake vents...
I've run into that bathroom fan issue more times than I'd like to admit...nothing like finding moldy insulation on a routine check. As for roof pitch, steeper roofs might help airflow a bit, but honestly, proper vent placement and clear soffits make a bigger difference overall.
Had a similar issue with a shallow-pitched roof a few years back—thought the pitch was the culprit at first, but turns out the soffit vents were partially blocked by insulation. Cleared those out, and airflow improved dramatically. Maybe pitch isn't the main factor here?
