Attic Ventilation: Installing Soffit Vents

If you want to install attic ventilation in your roof, then soffit vents are one of the best ways of managing this. These vents, also known as under-eave vents, are the best way of getting cool air into the attic. If you have a fairly modern house, then it is likely that you will already have soffit vents as your attic ventilation system. Older homes do not have them fitted as standard fittings. If you have an older house that is not yet fitted with soffits, you should consider fitting these into your home. Installation is easy, and would not need professional help because a basic knowledge of home improvement is usually all you need.

Step 1 - Preparing the Installation

Before you begin to install your soffit vent, you will need to do two things. First, you will need to check that the area where the soffit will be installed is free of insulation. If you find any in the roof, use safety gloves and a mask to move it. Clear the area, and then mark out a place where the vent will be free of joists, boards, and other roof furniture. Once you have this organized, pick out a suitable soffit. These come in plastic and metal, as well as wood. You may choose aluminum vents, as these can be painted to match the rest of the house. Plastic vents typically only come as brown or white, so buying metal gives you a greater variety.

Step 2 - Make Your Holes

Once you have a suitable vent, you can start cutting the holes. Measure your vent, and then cut a space in the ceiling which is slightly smaller than this, so the edges of your attic ventilation will be touching the plaster of the ceiling. You can use a square edge to make sure that the holes are all suitably even. Drill small holes in the ceiling along the lengths of your vent, and then place that on the floor. Use your saw to make these holes one long line, and then saw the widths spaces, until the square of ceiling falls away.

Step 3 - Install the Vents

You should now take the screws which will have been included with your vent, and use the drill to screw one into each corner. You should then add additional screws into the center of each side. Once all the screws have been installed, you can then go back and tighten them all until they are holding the vent firmly in place.

Step 4 - Finishing

Once you have fitted the vent, you may like to take a putty knife, and place some caulk around the edges. This will help to seal the vent against drafts, which can otherwise enter your living space and cause heat loss. Leave the caulk to dry naturally for a day or so.