Gapping Out the Cedar Siding for Gable Venting?
#1
Gapping Out the Cedar Siding for Gable Venting?
I've been in this home for almost two years and now find it necessary to install some additional attic venting. I guess I have never looked that close at homes with cedar siding, so I'm not sure if or how often gable venting is used. Although I had decided to just go with a ridge vent, I thought I would at least take a look at the gables.
Wife was looking at some prefab gable vents at the big green box, but I doubt how it would look with the siding. If I were to cut out the sheathing and add screen behind, can I just space out the beveled cedar boards to provide air gaps for venting? Seems to me the overlapping boards are pretty much just another type of louver as long as I make sure they are nailed securely and appropriately caulked.
Otherwise, is there are particular type of prefab vent to match the siding?
Wife was looking at some prefab gable vents at the big green box, but I doubt how it would look with the siding. If I were to cut out the sheathing and add screen behind, can I just space out the beveled cedar boards to provide air gaps for venting? Seems to me the overlapping boards are pretty much just another type of louver as long as I make sure they are nailed securely and appropriately caulked.
Otherwise, is there are particular type of prefab vent to match the siding?
#2
They make a product called Cor-A-Vent, which is basically like about 8 layers of corrugated cardboard all stacked together. But instead of it being cardboard, it's black plastic. The corrugations create little "1/8" x 1/8" boxes" within each strip. Each strip is about 1" thick, and 1 1/2" wide. Theoretically you could use it to do what you're suggesting. But I doubt it would move near as much air as a standard gable vent. This is because air can pretty much go straight into a gable vent. With Cor-A-Vent, the air would have to turn 90 degrees, and anytime air is forced to turn, or go through a constriction it loses velocity and/or volume.
Your idea would be to cut out the sheathing in the gable. Install a strip of Cor-A-Vent at the top of the last row of unvented siding then another strip of Cor-A-Vent where the top of the next piece of siding would rest. Then install the siding over the Cor-A-Vent, and repeat. This would create a 1" airspace under the laps of your siding in your gable end. Supposedly, no screen is needed with Cor-A-Vent.
Your best ventilation would be continuous ridge venting, along with continuous soffit venting. When continuous venting is added, proper vents need to be installed in the rafter bays to facilitate air movement over the top of the attic insulation, especially near the top plate where the distance between the insulation and the roof sheathing is minimal.
Your idea would be to cut out the sheathing in the gable. Install a strip of Cor-A-Vent at the top of the last row of unvented siding then another strip of Cor-A-Vent where the top of the next piece of siding would rest. Then install the siding over the Cor-A-Vent, and repeat. This would create a 1" airspace under the laps of your siding in your gable end. Supposedly, no screen is needed with Cor-A-Vent.
Your best ventilation would be continuous ridge venting, along with continuous soffit venting. When continuous venting is added, proper vents need to be installed in the rafter bays to facilitate air movement over the top of the attic insulation, especially near the top plate where the distance between the insulation and the roof sheathing is minimal.
#3
Member
There is 0 need for added venting if you already have ridge vents as long as you also have working soffit vents.
If you insist on adding gable vents then the best way is to remove the siding in that area, not just cut a hole in it and install a gable vent made of vinyl siding, That way when the siding reinstalled around it the trim ring will cover up the end cuts.
Any cuts will need to be sealed.
If you insist on adding gable vents then the best way is to remove the siding in that area, not just cut a hole in it and install a gable vent made of vinyl siding, That way when the siding reinstalled around it the trim ring will cover up the end cuts.
Any cuts will need to be sealed.
#4
I do need venting in this area as there is only one, hex gable vent in this half of the house, and it is way to the back of a 40 some foot long ridge line. I had intended to put up a ridge vent, but decided to try the gable idea in the front of the house first. Saves some cash and should be fairly simple to do once I borrow the ladder from work this weekend.
As XSleeper observed, the idea is to remove several of the cedar boards and cut out the sheathing behind. The Cor-a-Vent would certainly be simpler, but I was planning to use some aluminum window screen I have about to keep the bugs out and use some cut off pieces of spare siding as spacers to provide the inch or so gaps behind each board. I'm not too fond of the look of the hex vent and thought this would be much less visible on the front of the house -- no cuts to the cedar at all.
Then again, if it does not work like I want it to, I can always close it back up and do the ridge vent.
As XSleeper observed, the idea is to remove several of the cedar boards and cut out the sheathing behind. The Cor-a-Vent would certainly be simpler, but I was planning to use some aluminum window screen I have about to keep the bugs out and use some cut off pieces of spare siding as spacers to provide the inch or so gaps behind each board. I'm not too fond of the look of the hex vent and thought this would be much less visible on the front of the house -- no cuts to the cedar at all.
Then again, if it does not work like I want it to, I can always close it back up and do the ridge vent.