have a home I am purchasing. It was built in 1934. Has a new second roof on it (2yrs old...30yr shingle). When the roof was installed, they also replaced the soffits to aluminum. After having inspections, everyone noticed...including myself...there are no roof vents or soffit vents. The question came up though...do I need them? The house is 1 1/2 story and has no attic. In the 1/2 story, the ceilings in the rooms are the roof with insulation in between. Does this kind of roof need venting...if so, how do you vent a roof that has no space between the roof & the ceiling?
The base up top is still tongue & groove under the shingle.

Thanks to anyone who has some ideas. Please email me your thoughts...so I can plan this project better. Chiblues@niia.net

Thanks Again!!!

 

You dont say what you have there for sure. Yes you do need vents for up there above the insulation. Also forget that new roof. You dont want to put shingles over old shingles . They should have been taken off. Ill bet forget the 30 year roof there. No warranty when put over old shingles.


ED

 

The roof was put on by the previous owner over the old roof...I would have ripped it off if I was going through the trouble, but since it is up there already...not really wanting to spend the cash to redo it. I was just told the roof should be vented and I am aware that is something that must be done, but never ran into this situation. How do you vent a roof that doesn't have an attic(ceilings in the home are drywall against the rafters, insulation, then on the roof slat boards and shingles no space inbetween)? Do I need to put a vent for every rafter since there isn't any cross ventalation? What kind of venting do you suggest for the soffet and roof? Someone suggested ridgevent and continuous vent across the soffet would solve the issue, but wouldn't I need to place something between the insulation and roof for flow?

Thanks for everyone's help!!!

chiblues@niia.net

 

chiblues,

I'm with Ed on this. With a vaulted, stick built roof system, there should be a ridge vent placed and continuous soffit vents installed. The issue is the air flow between the insulation and the roof sheathing. If there isn't any space, then you got problems. Normally, air chutes (baffles) are placed between rafters - stapled to them or underside of roof sheathing. This just ensures a cavity for air flow. Without air flow, this just makes for a hot house come summer and a cold house come winter.

New shingles over old means that it just cut the life expectancy of the shingles by 50%. As Ed mentioned, no warranty will cover premature failure. Many homeowners aren't told this as the roofers hate tear offs too except for the money. Then again homeowners don't want to pay for tear offs as they think that if it's 1 or 2 layers, why not just add another. Thus the issue of dollars always outweighs common sense but when you pay for new shingles that have a 25 or more year warrantee, you're just throwing money down the drain.

Hope this helps!

 

Like Doug said check at home depot and lowes they have the extruded foam rafter vent that will keep the insulation off the roof and let the air get up to a ridge vent.


ED