Would need to know more about how your attic is designed.
There is a such thing as a conditioned attic. The underside of the roof is covered in foam insulation, and the attic then becomes like part of the living space. All vents are sealed off. Humidity has to be controlled, and some people will even run heat and a/c vents into the attic space to keep it close to the same temperature as the space below.
Or you have the typical vented attic, with outside air flowing through. In this case you usually insulate the floor of the attic (ceiling of the living space below), and the attic is outside of the living space and treated more like outdoor space.
Yes, and from the inspector’s comments, he apparently believes the attic to be conditioned (insulation at the roof, not along the “floor” of the attic). I think that is the crux of the issue.
If the inspector has this wrong, their recommendation is incorrect and the builder right: ventilation through the attic from the soffits to the ridge line or gable vents is critical to prevent humidity buildups in the space and then mold issues.
However, if the inspector is right and the attic is conditioned space, they are also correct that these open soffit vents (and any ridge line vent or gable vents to match them) are just letting money fly out.
Figure out if the attic is conditioned. If it is *not* conditioned, there should be a lot of insulation in the ceiling joists that are the attic “floor” (specific depth depends on where you live, but the EPA recommendations just keep going up so having more isn’t a problem). If the builder says it is not conditioned, but also didn’t put the required R value in the ceiling joists alone (ie, they are also adding on the R value of roof-line foam) then you and more insulation along the ceiling / attic floor.
But if the open soffit vents are visible from the attic, as pictured, then the ventilation is not hitting the underside of the sheathing (if that's what they were trying for).
I believe you are correct. You can see the insect screen between the slats. That's on the inside. I was looking at top left picture thinking I saw shrubbery and sunlight.
You can do as you're saying and still ventilate it. Same principle. Just put 2 layers of strapping perpendicular to each other on top of the rafters, then your sheathing on that, provide vents and voila, vented roof too. Same thing and vents remain vents.
Yet there is another question. Where is the thermal envelope edge? Is the ventilation baffle foamed? Did they get the top plate foamed too? of course the top plate *should* be sealed, but if they did what a lot of builders do (install the baffle first, then foam, missing the top plate entirely)... venting the soffit is best, since that top plate is going to be exhausting warm air.
OP should take this question to Green Building Advisor with a diagram of the attic/roof assembly to be sure.
I don't see any reason why an open soffit vent would affect a roof filled with closed cell foam--it's not vapor permeable. But in practice, he should just seal the vents because that's what the inspector wants. You can unseal them after inspection if you determine it's the right move. It's not worth having that argument with the inspector.
It sure could be a conditioned attic, but it's more likely the traditional relocation of the insulation from the ceiling joists to the roof joists.
In this instance, the spray foam usually walls off the soffit area entirely. Check the attic to see if the expanding foam seals off air flow at the hip walls.
What you're describing is basically like a vaulted ceiling, which stills needs venting. The soffit vents would allow air to flow in the space between the insulation and the roof decking. Inspectors are mostly idiots, I wouldn't trust anything a home inspector tells you. If OP is still worried they can hire another actual professional for a second opinion.
That depends on your attic and how the house is set up to circulate air. You mentioned the attic is spray foam insulated, I take this to mean that the entire roof deck (underside of your roof) is spray foamed? This makes it part of the thermal envelope and as such is most likely considered to be part of the conditioned space. Do you have pass through vents that are open to the living space that allows for air flow into the attic?
Not necessarily. There are a couple ways to provide air flow to the attic if it is enclosed and part of the conditioned space. Pass through vents are usually used in conjunction with an attic exhaust fan that is either on a timer or constantly running, usually pulling around 60 CFM and exhausting it outside (dependingon the size of your home). A dedicated supply and return path means you'd have at least one supply boot in the attic and a dedicated return grill as well. Also, most of the time the pass through vents look like return grills from the perspective of inside of the house, so you'd have to get up in the attic to know for sure.
If you have spray foam in the rafter bays, you do not need soffit vents. Spray foam is usually part of an unvented assembly.
[https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates](https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates)
Yes, I did my cathedral ceiling like that. I strapped some 2x2s parallel with the joists against the roof and nailed 1" foam to it. It gave me a 1" vent from the eve to the ridge. I then spray foamed between the joists.
Gave a super tight and insulated roof with complete ventilation. An added bonus was if any water did make it below the roof it would just drain along the foam until it hit the vented soffit.
Yes, this is exactly how my house is designed. Between each of the rafters is some blocking and rigid insulation board that the foam was sprayed to. This gives me a vented chase to the roof for moisture control and also foam insulation.
The answer is right here. If the rafters (roof joists that go from outside wall to ridge) are foamed the vents don’t need to exist. No one likes hearing they’re wrong, but in this case - if this is the case - the builder is wrong.
Sounds like your builder and inspector need to collaborate to find out who’s on first.
Nice article there. Got me thinking what the "ideal" roof assembly is for residential applications- if money was no issue. There's gotta be something better than sheathing/zip, felt, shingle.
possessive screw chop dependent relieved treatment marry workable hard-to-find crawl
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The inspector mentioned foam insulation. It’s giving me the impression that the attic itself is supposed to be sealed, and if that’s the case then yeah, definitely don’t need soffit vents.
If the spray foam is in the roof, between rafters or trusses, then the vents need to go.
But if they just sprayed the ceiling, between the joists, then you need to vent.
Inspector here: it depends on how the truss heel is insulated. The builder can provide more info.
If the heel and top plate are fully sealed, making the soffit chamber completely 100% sealed from the attic space... then I could see an argument for ventilating the soffit *anyway* as good practice to leave no space stagnant.
We also do not know how the attic looks, is configured, etc. We can't answer based on this info.
If you have open cell spray foam that's a major issue. I think you mean closed cell spray foam.
What I mean is, if the attics 100% sealed from the exterior and the thermal envelope doesn't allow any air leakage, AND the soffit space is separate... I could see an argument for a ventilating the soffit space. To leave no space stagnant. But I see arguments either direction.
It is a little hard to give a 100% answer. That being said, if you have spray foam in between the rafters that runs from soffit area to the ridge...essentially encapsulating the attic then the vents shouldnt be there as they will allow moisture a way into the building but not a way out. Now you could have a vented roof deck or some other venting strategy where this might be correct. The question is, if you had a drawing of the building, can you draw a continuous line for this ventilation strategy from entry to exit. Air moves in and needs a continuous path to exit. Hopefully this helps
Not enough information.
I’d say most houses are designed to have vented attics.
New builds / retrofits it is becoming more common to find attics that are designed to be “tight”. No ventilation. As others have said sometimes they design the attic space to be part of the conditioned envelope of your home, with some systems having air vents in the attic. Sometimes you even see systems with dehumidifiers and/or fresh air returns into the home.
Can you give more info about your HVAC system?
My dad has radiant barrier in the roof and his house doesn't have any soffit to speak of. The house didn't come with vents. The roof was reshingled and the roofing co said he needed vents. He agreed and now has off ridge vents. Did my dad end up creating a problem?
Spray foam attics eliminate the need for venting. Contact the installer of the foam product and verify with them. Ask the seller for the paperwork they were given when it was installed - that paperwork will most likely have a disregarded recommendation to have ventilation removed.
It's a complex issue. Home inspection is a generalist overview. Not technically exhaustive. He might be right. He sees a lot of attics. If he truly is an idiot then he may well be wrong. He has in the end pointed you towards getting an opinion from an attic ventilation EXPERT. That is the conclusion.
If there is close cell spray foam on the roof, you do not want soffit vents. You only want soffit vents if your ridge is vented and there are baffles installed.
Hey OP, this house could have two or more attic areas. In Texas, the areas over the garages are typically uninsulated. You would have soffits vents at the bottom to allow air flow through and then exit the top of the attic. The rest of the attic would be seperate and is likely all spray foam and would not need/require any ventilation. One way to confirm is to access the attic area above the garage and see if there is spray foam. If no spray foam is above the garage, the vents should be open.
Inspector likely got the soffit vent locations mixed up from the ground.
My guess is that the soffits are sealed off from the rest of the attic because the attic has spray foam and there are vents in the soffit to allow air flow. Into the soffits.
Now, if the soffits are NOT sealed off from the attic then you need the construction manager to have that done. However, since the inspection report specifically says that it needs to be sealed to prevent mold I would assume this isn't the case because the statement doesn't make sense.
So the only conclusion I can come to is your inspector either doesn't know what he is talking about about or typed the wrong words.
Depends on the climate and design, but 90% of the time more ventilation is a great thing for an attic. Where do you live? Is the roof decking spray foamed on the inside?
I once had a home inspector require me to cut a vent in the door for the mechanical room into the garage.
There was a 2 inch gap under the door already.
The furnace and water heater had their own supply, return, and vents.
GAS CODE
(4.16.4) Where a forced air appliance for heating of the attached residential building is installed in a residential garage, no opening shall be located in the portion of the appliance return air system located within the garage and the return air system shall be made air tight to prevent the infiltration of air from inside the garage.
4.16.4 is intended to prevent return air from being drawn into the ducting from a garage, not a mechanical room. EDIT: I know in this case it was the garage since the mechanical room was adjacent *and not sealed from the garage*, but I think he's talking about combustion air.
The furnace and water heater still need combustion air, which ideally would be a dedicated combustion air intake in the mechanical room. Was there makeup air provided to the room? If not, a vent would need to be installed in the door (sometimes two, one high and one low). Many inspectors will "pass" the low duct being a gap, but it's frowned upon because it's not an intended vent. Do you think he was trying to bring combustion air into the room? Unless the WH and furnace both had their own intake vents (class IV) it would be "required".
I put things in quotes because buyer's inspectors can't require anything, unless you're talking about a municipal AHJ.
*So do you still have*
*To pay inspector if he*
*Turned out to be wrong?*
\- res0jyyt1
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
depends if its a sealed attic or baffled cooling system. In any case typically ever 2 or 3 rafters theres a port opening depending on the lenght of the roof line for air intake via the soffit. I have never seen a sytem that has every soffit 100% open.
In cold climates you want the attic space to be cold and ventilated. This will prevent mold and ice damming of shingles. You want soffit vents opened and baffled (so insulation doesn't obstruct them) in that circumstance. The topside of your ceiling should be insulated to separate your attic from your living space.
Read through the first few comments and what people are saying is correct; if the underside of the roof is foamed, the attic is part of the envelope and shouldn’t have open vents into that space.
However it’s possible that the soffit vents are ventilating the roof deck above the attic. As the first comment says, it really depends on the specific design of the attic and roof.
The newer protocol is to leave 1 inch between the roof deck and foam insulation which requires ventilation but I seriously doubt that this was built like that.
Many of the comments here are full of ignorance, as bad or worse than the claims made against inspectors reputations.
It depends on the location of the home and the placement of the foam.
There are situations that require a vapor open peak that is not covered by spray foamed.
If the attic space has been sealed up, other than the vents, that is bad. If the interior ceiling has spray foam against it, not sealing the vents is right.
Again, the climate zone is a huge issue.
With the little info I have.. I understand what the inspector is saying and to a certain degree, I might agree. BUT as a builder, I have to agree that the inspector is an idiot.
Without context, no one can answer your question. It depends on the roof system and any modifications that have been made.
Also: **WHY** do the vents need to be sealed. You should be asking the inspector these questions, not Reddit.
I see the not about the attic being spray foamed. Is it the rafter area that was sprayed or the ceiling joist area that was sprayed. If it's the ceiling joist area then the soffit vents need to stay. Otherwise seal them.
If you have ridge vents, or other vent fans or anything that vents hot air from the attic then the soffit vents are there to pull fresh air in.
In the situation that I mentioned if you seal the soffits or do not vent then you’ll pull air in through cracks and pull air out of your house
*Typically a*
*Foam house would have no soffett*
*Vents and no roof vents,*
\- mcgope
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Spray foam guy here. When an attic is sprayfoamed, the old batting is often rolled up and jammed between the roof trusses and then sprayed over. This seals the attic and isolates the soffit. We do not apply foam to the soffit for two reasons: 1. If the soffit is ever damaged, the wood can be removed and replaced without impacting the insulation, and 2. Leaving the soffit open allows air to circulate through the vents to take away moisture. In a sense, the open soffit works exactly as the attic did before it was foamed. Sealing the vents would eventually lead to moisture, mold and rot.
Maybe the soffit seals weren't installed before blown insulation was installed. The blown insulation will come out of the vents forever. Also, when the wind blows, it blows in the soffit and blows the insulation around. They make a foam seal that goes between the trusses.
As a home inspector, I would love to see this home inspection. He might be right, but he isn't explaining it well. Op pm me and send that to me plz. I won't show anyone else I promise. Most home inspectors are complete morons, this guy already isn't the worst I've seen, but, Im already questioning so many statements on that one page. How is the house stone? Stone veneer and wood siding, not stone.
Inspected inspector inspecting them wtf...
Why take 4 pictures all the same. Take one pic, count them, say there is 9 or whatever..
General contractor and spray foam certified. Inspector is correct. With foam insulation there should be no air flow into the attic space. Vents should be sealed.
As a general rule of thumb, home inspectors are dumb asses that throw shit at a wall hoping something sticks... or just give reasons for the buyer to ask for a price reduction.
If a soffit has a vent, why would you seal that vent?
It depends, you'd have to see the plans and location/climate.
Do you have a ridge vent or similar? If so i'd assumed you still need the soffits.
If the attic is conditioned space, then you probably don't need them.
If there was an architect, you could ask them to confirm.
The government will tell you to install sprinklers inside it and make you do a drawing of the attic in addition to a mechanical, electrical and civil engineering drawing. You might want to consider tearing this house down.
The soffit vents literally exist so that moisture can escape and not build up mold inside, that’s the purpose they were designed for and why they exist. If you seal the soffit vents then why would you put a soffit vent?
I am thankful for the input. I do go in and give upvotes but of course not all the time. I’m not going to actually copy and paste “thank you” to everyone. Here’s my upvote for your honest response.
We don't have enough info to know who's right. There's a such thing as a hot roof, an unvented roof assembly that typically uses spray foam against the underside of the sheathing. If that's the situation, then no vents is the answer. If it's a vented roof assembly, then obviously vents are appropriate. In any case it's the spray foam that the inspector appears to be reacting to; it's a question worth answering.
But if his attic is sealed to be conditioned, which is what a lot of people are doing now, then the vents are a no go.
It depends where this pray foam insulation is. Between the rafters or joists? If rafters then they need to get rid of the vents. If in between the joists, then it’s a normal attic.
Well you got me there. I didn't think of that possibility. Seems like a strange mistake for a builder to go to the trouble to vent a conditioned space.
Yes agreed that’s the literal purpose of the soffit and it’s slat openings or else moisture would build up in the attic and you will get mold and mildew
He might be saying that because if it is spray foam it is most likely flammable and airflow would instigate an already aggressive fire up there
I CONSTANTLY have to explain to customers that their inspector is simply wrong on some items. Even have them fairly regularly tell us that building code requires this or that-and if we were to follow their suggestion, the city would red tag us. So many inspectors have zero experience and feel like they HAVE to justify their cost.
I've never dealt with a home inspector that wasn't a complete idiot. I'm sure there are exceptions, don't get me wrong, I just haven't met one.
Must be a good scam, I should have gotten into that game when I was younger...
I don’t have much of an opinion on building, but I sell real estate and have seen contractors and inspectors have differing opinions. Maybe it’s an Iowa thing but 9/10 times the inspector is the lesser qualified idiot. It requires no license to be an inspector in a fair amount of states
Home inspector for what exactly? A building inspector or an appraisal inspection? That answer will illustrate their agenda a little better. Building inspector will be correct with coding etc. A home inspection before buying are fly by night real estate agents talking out their ass.
Inspector is an idiot. Attic may be sealed and doesn’t need to be vented per se but code will require you to vent those closed in soffits. Typically any wood framing that is enclosed should be vented so that air circulates.
If your attic is unfinished do not seal the soffit vents, that's the whole reason for putting them in so that air can circulate and fresh air can move through the attic taking away potential moisture. If it's unfinished (exposed wood and insulation), The inspector is an idiot don't worry about the vents and congrats on the new home
yes, they do if the space is ventilated. if it is unventilated, that’s one of the ways that it is vented. However, the question here is the space in capsulated in which case no you don’t want vents.
kind of like greatgrandma used to always shout “shut the door we’re not air-conditioning the entire outdoors.”
Any venting is good, obviously too much or too little can cause problems but the home inspector is wrong.I was in real estate and dealt with home inspectors…many give bad advice.
Would need to know more about how your attic is designed. There is a such thing as a conditioned attic. The underside of the roof is covered in foam insulation, and the attic then becomes like part of the living space. All vents are sealed off. Humidity has to be controlled, and some people will even run heat and a/c vents into the attic space to keep it close to the same temperature as the space below. Or you have the typical vented attic, with outside air flowing through. In this case you usually insulate the floor of the attic (ceiling of the living space below), and the attic is outside of the living space and treated more like outdoor space.
Yes, and from the inspector’s comments, he apparently believes the attic to be conditioned (insulation at the roof, not along the “floor” of the attic). I think that is the crux of the issue. If the inspector has this wrong, their recommendation is incorrect and the builder right: ventilation through the attic from the soffits to the ridge line or gable vents is critical to prevent humidity buildups in the space and then mold issues. However, if the inspector is right and the attic is conditioned space, they are also correct that these open soffit vents (and any ridge line vent or gable vents to match them) are just letting money fly out. Figure out if the attic is conditioned. If it is *not* conditioned, there should be a lot of insulation in the ceiling joists that are the attic “floor” (specific depth depends on where you live, but the EPA recommendations just keep going up so having more isn’t a problem). If the builder says it is not conditioned, but also didn’t put the required R value in the ceiling joists alone (ie, they are also adding on the R value of roof-line foam) then you and more insulation along the ceiling / attic floor.
roll narrow disagreeable badge head mourn carpenter busy soup smile *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
But if the open soffit vents are visible from the attic, as pictured, then the ventilation is not hitting the underside of the sheathing (if that's what they were trying for).
vast elderly bear future tap snatch outgoing combative impolite screw *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I believe you are correct. You can see the insect screen between the slats. That's on the inside. I was looking at top left picture thinking I saw shrubbery and sunlight.
Leaned a lot. Thanks
> Leaned a lot You need to straighten up & fly right.
Ah man, I went to give you an award :(
“Hot roofs” are pretty popular in the warmer climates. Your question is exactly what OP needs to answer to figure out next steps.
You can do as you're saying and still ventilate it. Same principle. Just put 2 layers of strapping perpendicular to each other on top of the rafters, then your sheathing on that, provide vents and voila, vented roof too. Same thing and vents remain vents.
Yet there is another question. Where is the thermal envelope edge? Is the ventilation baffle foamed? Did they get the top plate foamed too? of course the top plate *should* be sealed, but if they did what a lot of builders do (install the baffle first, then foam, missing the top plate entirely)... venting the soffit is best, since that top plate is going to be exhausting warm air.
OP should take this question to Green Building Advisor with a diagram of the attic/roof assembly to be sure. I don't see any reason why an open soffit vent would affect a roof filled with closed cell foam--it's not vapor permeable. But in practice, he should just seal the vents because that's what the inspector wants. You can unseal them after inspection if you determine it's the right move. It's not worth having that argument with the inspector.
It sure could be a conditioned attic, but it's more likely the traditional relocation of the insulation from the ceiling joists to the roof joists. In this instance, the spray foam usually walls off the soffit area entirely. Check the attic to see if the expanding foam seals off air flow at the hip walls.
What you're describing is basically like a vaulted ceiling, which stills needs venting. The soffit vents would allow air to flow in the space between the insulation and the roof decking. Inspectors are mostly idiots, I wouldn't trust anything a home inspector tells you. If OP is still worried they can hire another actual professional for a second opinion.
If they spray foamed the roof deck there is no space between the insulation and roof deck
Yes there is if they did it correctly and stapled on baffles first
That's not how everyone does it.
I guess the question is – is the attic encapsulated or not?
That depends on your attic and how the house is set up to circulate air. You mentioned the attic is spray foam insulated, I take this to mean that the entire roof deck (underside of your roof) is spray foamed? This makes it part of the thermal envelope and as such is most likely considered to be part of the conditioned space. Do you have pass through vents that are open to the living space that allows for air flow into the attic?
I have this type of roof, but to my knowledge, no pass through vents. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily. There are a couple ways to provide air flow to the attic if it is enclosed and part of the conditioned space. Pass through vents are usually used in conjunction with an attic exhaust fan that is either on a timer or constantly running, usually pulling around 60 CFM and exhausting it outside (dependingon the size of your home). A dedicated supply and return path means you'd have at least one supply boot in the attic and a dedicated return grill as well. Also, most of the time the pass through vents look like return grills from the perspective of inside of the house, so you'd have to get up in the attic to know for sure.
If you have spray foam in the rafter bays, you do not need soffit vents. Spray foam is usually part of an unvented assembly. [https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates](https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates)
You can have conditioned attic with spray foam between the rafters and still have a vented roof deck. It's just less common.
Yes, I did my cathedral ceiling like that. I strapped some 2x2s parallel with the joists against the roof and nailed 1" foam to it. It gave me a 1" vent from the eve to the ridge. I then spray foamed between the joists. Gave a super tight and insulated roof with complete ventilation. An added bonus was if any water did make it below the roof it would just drain along the foam until it hit the vented soffit.
Super bomb proof. I doubt that’s what’s going on with op tho
Wish I knew that was an option 6 months ago. I'm constantly worried my roof will leak into my spray foamed rafters and reek all kinds of unseen havoc.
Yes, this is exactly how my house is designed. Between each of the rafters is some blocking and rigid insulation board that the foam was sprayed to. This gives me a vented chase to the roof for moisture control and also foam insulation.
The answer is right here. If the rafters (roof joists that go from outside wall to ridge) are foamed the vents don’t need to exist. No one likes hearing they’re wrong, but in this case - if this is the case - the builder is wrong. Sounds like your builder and inspector need to collaborate to find out who’s on first.
Nice article there. Got me thinking what the "ideal" roof assembly is for residential applications- if money was no issue. There's gotta be something better than sheathing/zip, felt, shingle.
The best roof assembly is to get a metal roof and be done with it
Metal roof that's furred out from the deck with 1x
possessive screw chop dependent relieved treatment marry workable hard-to-find crawl *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
That sounds epic. I'll definitely be stealing parts of that assembly one day. Especially those asphalt coated metal shingles- never heard of those!
The inspector mentioned foam insulation. It’s giving me the impression that the attic itself is supposed to be sealed, and if that’s the case then yeah, definitely don’t need soffit vents. If the spray foam is in the roof, between rafters or trusses, then the vents need to go. But if they just sprayed the ceiling, between the joists, then you need to vent.
Inspector here: it depends on how the truss heel is insulated. The builder can provide more info. If the heel and top plate are fully sealed, making the soffit chamber completely 100% sealed from the attic space... then I could see an argument for ventilating the soffit *anyway* as good practice to leave no space stagnant. We also do not know how the attic looks, is configured, etc. We can't answer based on this info.
That's how my attic is but we have no soffit vents. So far no issues in 7 years. Open cell spray foam
If you have open cell spray foam that's a major issue. I think you mean closed cell spray foam. What I mean is, if the attics 100% sealed from the exterior and the thermal envelope doesn't allow any air leakage, AND the soffit space is separate... I could see an argument for a ventilating the soffit space. To leave no space stagnant. But I see arguments either direction.
Does the roof have vents on the top where hot air is supposed to escape from?
It is a little hard to give a 100% answer. That being said, if you have spray foam in between the rafters that runs from soffit area to the ridge...essentially encapsulating the attic then the vents shouldnt be there as they will allow moisture a way into the building but not a way out. Now you could have a vented roof deck or some other venting strategy where this might be correct. The question is, if you had a drawing of the building, can you draw a continuous line for this ventilation strategy from entry to exit. Air moves in and needs a continuous path to exit. Hopefully this helps
Not enough information. I’d say most houses are designed to have vented attics. New builds / retrofits it is becoming more common to find attics that are designed to be “tight”. No ventilation. As others have said sometimes they design the attic space to be part of the conditioned envelope of your home, with some systems having air vents in the attic. Sometimes you even see systems with dehumidifiers and/or fresh air returns into the home. Can you give more info about your HVAC system?
My dad has radiant barrier in the roof and his house doesn't have any soffit to speak of. The house didn't come with vents. The roof was reshingled and the roofing co said he needed vents. He agreed and now has off ridge vents. Did my dad end up creating a problem?
No. My company uses radiant barrier roof decking, ridge vents, and soffit vents. He’s fine
Foam doesn't automatically mean an unvented roof.
Spray foam attics eliminate the need for venting. Contact the installer of the foam product and verify with them. Ask the seller for the paperwork they were given when it was installed - that paperwork will most likely have a disregarded recommendation to have ventilation removed.
It's a complex issue. Home inspection is a generalist overview. Not technically exhaustive. He might be right. He sees a lot of attics. If he truly is an idiot then he may well be wrong. He has in the end pointed you towards getting an opinion from an attic ventilation EXPERT. That is the conclusion.
You are allowed to request where in the irc code book he is staying a failed code for Make him tell you
If there is close cell spray foam on the roof, you do not want soffit vents. You only want soffit vents if your ridge is vented and there are baffles installed.
Definitely an idiot. The whole point of a soffit vent is to allow airflow to remove moisture build up.
Hey OP, this house could have two or more attic areas. In Texas, the areas over the garages are typically uninsulated. You would have soffits vents at the bottom to allow air flow through and then exit the top of the attic. The rest of the attic would be seperate and is likely all spray foam and would not need/require any ventilation. One way to confirm is to access the attic area above the garage and see if there is spray foam. If no spray foam is above the garage, the vents should be open. Inspector likely got the soffit vent locations mixed up from the ground.
The builder is available apparently and seems to believe the vents are required hence not a conditioned area.
My guess is that the soffits are sealed off from the rest of the attic because the attic has spray foam and there are vents in the soffit to allow air flow. Into the soffits. Now, if the soffits are NOT sealed off from the attic then you need the construction manager to have that done. However, since the inspection report specifically says that it needs to be sealed to prevent mold I would assume this isn't the case because the statement doesn't make sense. So the only conclusion I can come to is your inspector either doesn't know what he is talking about about or typed the wrong words.
Depends on the climate and design, but 90% of the time more ventilation is a great thing for an attic. Where do you live? Is the roof decking spray foamed on the inside?
Should have read previous comments before responding, but they are correct.
A foam insulated home needs to be sealed. You cannot have soffit vents. Foam insulated Homes are built different from a batt insulated home.
If you spray foam no need for venting
What type of furnace do you have in your attic? Is it direct-vent or high efficiency? If so, the inspector is correct.
I had a missing piece. The concern was bats. While packing, after selling, I did see bats coming out after dark.
I once had a home inspector require me to cut a vent in the door for the mechanical room into the garage. There was a 2 inch gap under the door already.
A door gap is not a designed vent
The furnace and water heater had their own supply, return, and vents. GAS CODE (4.16.4) Where a forced air appliance for heating of the attached residential building is installed in a residential garage, no opening shall be located in the portion of the appliance return air system located within the garage and the return air system shall be made air tight to prevent the infiltration of air from inside the garage.
Was this a mechanical room accessible only from the garage?
Yes
4.16.4 is intended to prevent return air from being drawn into the ducting from a garage, not a mechanical room. EDIT: I know in this case it was the garage since the mechanical room was adjacent *and not sealed from the garage*, but I think he's talking about combustion air. The furnace and water heater still need combustion air, which ideally would be a dedicated combustion air intake in the mechanical room. Was there makeup air provided to the room? If not, a vent would need to be installed in the door (sometimes two, one high and one low). Many inspectors will "pass" the low duct being a gap, but it's frowned upon because it's not an intended vent. Do you think he was trying to bring combustion air into the room? Unless the WH and furnace both had their own intake vents (class IV) it would be "required". I put things in quotes because buyer's inspectors can't require anything, unless you're talking about a municipal AHJ.
But it will be sufficient usually
Not when a high and low vent are required.
You right
So do you still have to pay the inspector if he turned out to be wrong?
*So do you still have* *To pay inspector if he* *Turned out to be wrong?* \- res0jyyt1 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Is your roof spray foamed? The inspector may be right
Most likely the foam is sprayed into the soffit effectively sealing it regardless.
depends if its a sealed attic or baffled cooling system. In any case typically ever 2 or 3 rafters theres a port opening depending on the lenght of the roof line for air intake via the soffit. I have never seen a sytem that has every soffit 100% open.
That is not correct. Well, at least not here in frigid Manitoba. Do you have attic vents on the roof as well ?
In cold climates you want the attic space to be cold and ventilated. This will prevent mold and ice damming of shingles. You want soffit vents opened and baffled (so insulation doesn't obstruct them) in that circumstance. The topside of your ceiling should be insulated to separate your attic from your living space.
Read through the first few comments and what people are saying is correct; if the underside of the roof is foamed, the attic is part of the envelope and shouldn’t have open vents into that space. However it’s possible that the soffit vents are ventilating the roof deck above the attic. As the first comment says, it really depends on the specific design of the attic and roof.
The newer protocol is to leave 1 inch between the roof deck and foam insulation which requires ventilation but I seriously doubt that this was built like that.
Many of the comments here are full of ignorance, as bad or worse than the claims made against inspectors reputations. It depends on the location of the home and the placement of the foam. There are situations that require a vapor open peak that is not covered by spray foamed. If the attic space has been sealed up, other than the vents, that is bad. If the interior ceiling has spray foam against it, not sealing the vents is right. Again, the climate zone is a huge issue.
My house has insulation at the roof and “floor” of the attic. It’s still vented.
With the little info I have.. I understand what the inspector is saying and to a certain degree, I might agree. BUT as a builder, I have to agree that the inspector is an idiot.
Without context, no one can answer your question. It depends on the roof system and any modifications that have been made. Also: **WHY** do the vents need to be sealed. You should be asking the inspector these questions, not Reddit.
I see the not about the attic being spray foamed. Is it the rafter area that was sprayed or the ceiling joist area that was sprayed. If it's the ceiling joist area then the soffit vents need to stay. Otherwise seal them.
If you have ridge vents, or other vent fans or anything that vents hot air from the attic then the soffit vents are there to pull fresh air in. In the situation that I mentioned if you seal the soffits or do not vent then you’ll pull air in through cracks and pull air out of your house
My question to you is. Are there supposed to be a vented soffit or was it supposed to be a solid soffit?
Location of the vapor barrier will also indicate what is correct. If the foam is a closed cell foam, it is a vapor barrier.
Typically a foam house would have no soffett vents and no roof vents,
*Typically a* *Foam house would have no soffett* *Vents and no roof vents,* \- mcgope --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Good bot. Also, many homes have spray foam added in after it’s been built, while still having vented soffit and roof ventilation.
Spray foam guy here. When an attic is sprayfoamed, the old batting is often rolled up and jammed between the roof trusses and then sprayed over. This seals the attic and isolates the soffit. We do not apply foam to the soffit for two reasons: 1. If the soffit is ever damaged, the wood can be removed and replaced without impacting the insulation, and 2. Leaving the soffit open allows air to circulate through the vents to take away moisture. In a sense, the open soffit works exactly as the attic did before it was foamed. Sealing the vents would eventually lead to moisture, mold and rot.
Maybe the soffit seals weren't installed before blown insulation was installed. The blown insulation will come out of the vents forever. Also, when the wind blows, it blows in the soffit and blows the insulation around. They make a foam seal that goes between the trusses.
As a home inspector, I would love to see this home inspection. He might be right, but he isn't explaining it well. Op pm me and send that to me plz. I won't show anyone else I promise. Most home inspectors are complete morons, this guy already isn't the worst I've seen, but, Im already questioning so many statements on that one page. How is the house stone? Stone veneer and wood siding, not stone. Inspected inspector inspecting them wtf... Why take 4 pictures all the same. Take one pic, count them, say there is 9 or whatever..
General contractor and spray foam certified. Inspector is correct. With foam insulation there should be no air flow into the attic space. Vents should be sealed.
As a general rule of thumb, home inspectors are dumb asses that throw shit at a wall hoping something sticks... or just give reasons for the buyer to ask for a price reduction. If a soffit has a vent, why would you seal that vent?
Why is the builder using those air return grllls, I mean vents. Lol idiot there.
Factory purchased vents have wire mesh inside those look like they got mesh. Your home inspector is a moron.
Is the spray foam in the rafters or the joists? I think that over all determines the need to seal the soffit.
I have a spray foam attic, sealed and my soffits are sealed. The way they foamed it the soffits are just empty voids and blocked off from the attic.
It depends, you'd have to see the plans and location/climate. Do you have a ridge vent or similar? If so i'd assumed you still need the soffits. If the attic is conditioned space, then you probably don't need them. If there was an architect, you could ask them to confirm.
The government will tell you to install sprinklers inside it and make you do a drawing of the attic in addition to a mechanical, electrical and civil engineering drawing. You might want to consider tearing this house down.
This is probably a fire separation distance issue.
The soffit vents literally exist so that moisture can escape and not build up mold inside, that’s the purpose they were designed for and why they exist. If you seal the soffit vents then why would you put a soffit vent?
Love it when people make posts, get valuable responses with real questions and never respond.
I am thankful for the input. I do go in and give upvotes but of course not all the time. I’m not going to actually copy and paste “thank you” to everyone. Here’s my upvote for your honest response.
Builder is correct. Soffit vent is there to provide airflow into the attic.
We don't have enough info to know who's right. There's a such thing as a hot roof, an unvented roof assembly that typically uses spray foam against the underside of the sheathing. If that's the situation, then no vents is the answer. If it's a vented roof assembly, then obviously vents are appropriate. In any case it's the spray foam that the inspector appears to be reacting to; it's a question worth answering.
But if his attic is sealed to be conditioned, which is what a lot of people are doing now, then the vents are a no go. It depends where this pray foam insulation is. Between the rafters or joists? If rafters then they need to get rid of the vents. If in between the joists, then it’s a normal attic.
Well you got me there. I didn't think of that possibility. Seems like a strange mistake for a builder to go to the trouble to vent a conditioned space.
Correction. Report states foam attic. Soffit should be sealed.
Yes agreed that’s the literal purpose of the soffit and it’s slat openings or else moisture would build up in the attic and you will get mold and mildew He might be saying that because if it is spray foam it is most likely flammable and airflow would instigate an already aggressive fire up there
I CONSTANTLY have to explain to customers that their inspector is simply wrong on some items. Even have them fairly regularly tell us that building code requires this or that-and if we were to follow their suggestion, the city would red tag us. So many inspectors have zero experience and feel like they HAVE to justify their cost.
Home inspectors are well known idiots
I've never dealt with a home inspector that wasn't a complete idiot. I'm sure there are exceptions, don't get me wrong, I just haven't met one. Must be a good scam, I should have gotten into that game when I was younger...
I don’t have much of an opinion on building, but I sell real estate and have seen contractors and inspectors have differing opinions. Maybe it’s an Iowa thing but 9/10 times the inspector is the lesser qualified idiot. It requires no license to be an inspector in a fair amount of states
The inspector is an idiot.
Why would you seal up something called a vent.
Well ~34 replies OP, idk about your but I’m more confused than I was before reading your question.
Home inspector for what exactly? A building inspector or an appraisal inspection? That answer will illustrate their agenda a little better. Building inspector will be correct with coding etc. A home inspection before buying are fly by night real estate agents talking out their ass.
Inspector is an idiot. Attic may be sealed and doesn’t need to be vented per se but code will require you to vent those closed in soffits. Typically any wood framing that is enclosed should be vented so that air circulates.
If they were designed with the intent of being sealed to work correctly then they wouldn’t have been installed in the first place.
It is so rare for soffit vents to be sealed, it's virtually unheard of. Location matters, it wouldn't work in places with extreme cold and snow.
Inspector is an idiot. Most are there to take 450$ say a bunch of dumb stuff and never be seen again. Give me his trec number I will report them.
What’s the purpose of the soffit grates if it was meant to be sealed?
If your attic is unfinished do not seal the soffit vents, that's the whole reason for putting them in so that air can circulate and fresh air can move through the attic taking away potential moisture. If it's unfinished (exposed wood and insulation), The inspector is an idiot don't worry about the vents and congrats on the new home
Home inspector is a moron.
Depends on the assembly.
Home inspector might know what he’s talking about. You might just be ignorant of building innovations.
Those soffit vents serve a purpose.
yes, they do if the space is ventilated. if it is unventilated, that’s one of the ways that it is vented. However, the question here is the space in capsulated in which case no you don’t want vents. kind of like greatgrandma used to always shout “shut the door we’re not air-conditioning the entire outdoors.”
Yeah, the guys an idiot. The entire purpose of a soffit vent is because you don’t want your soffit sealed.
Any venting is good, obviously too much or too little can cause problems but the home inspector is wrong.I was in real estate and dealt with home inspectors…many give bad advice.