That’s a good point about airflow—sometimes it’s just not obvious until you dig in. I’m curious, though: how do you actually check if your attic ventilation is doing its job? I’ve got ridge vents and soffit vents, but I’m never sure if they’re really moving enough air or just sitting there looking useful. Anyone ever use those humidity sensors or smoke sticks to test things out? I always wonder if there’s a simple way to spot trouble before the stains show up...
You’re right, it’s tough to know if those vents are actually pulling their weight. I’ve used smoke sticks during colder months—helps spot dead air zones, especially near the eaves. Humidity sensors can help, but honestly, visual checks for frost or damp insulation are just as telling. Sometimes it’s not about more vents, but whether insulation’s blocking soffits or if baffles are missing.
Totally agree that just adding more vents isn’t always the answer. I keep hearing people say, “More airflow!” but if the soffits are blocked by insulation or there’s no baffle, the air’s not moving anyway. Have you ever actually pulled back the insulation to check? I was on a job last month where the attic looked fine at first glance, but once we peeled back some batts, half the soffits were covered. No wonder there was frost up there.
I’m still not sold on humidity sensors for attics, though. How do you know what’s “normal” humidity up there versus a problem? Seems like it’d be easy to chase numbers and miss the bigger picture. Smoke sticks sound cool but I haven’t tried them yet—do they work when it’s not super cold out?
Also curious if anyone’s seen issues with older houses where the original builders just skipped baffles entirely. I’ve run into that a few times and it makes me wonder how many folks have hidden problems they don’t even know about.
