What Are Soffit Ventilation Chutes?

Proper Ventilation

• Modern attic ventilation is accomplished with soffit and roof vents. The soffit vents are built into the roof's soffits along the bottom of the attic. The roof vents are as close to the attic's ridge as possible. Natural convection draws air into the soffits and pushes it out the roof vents. This constant flow of air picks up moisture and balances the attic's temperature with the outdoors.

Soffit Ventilation Chutes

• Soffit ventilation chutes are the devices used to hold back the attic's insulation from completely covering the soffit vents. In modern construction, these are the Styrofoam inserts that are stapled where the attic's edges meets the ceiling joists. In older construction, they were made of plywood, but still serve the same purpose.

Proper Ventilation Space

• A properly vented attic must have a specific area of vents. There should be a 300:1 ratio of total square feet of attic space to ventilation area. The vent area is evenly divided between the soffit and ridge vents to create a balanced flow of air.

Turbine Vents

• Turbine vents are mechanical systems that use the wind to provide additional airflow. They are generally not recommended because attic still needs ventilation on calm days. They are often noisy or seized, and can depressurize the attic on windy days.