Insulation Baffles and other Ventilation Problems

Insulation baffles usually block the soffit vents. Install them with care.
The 8" x 16" soffit vents we install provide 65 square inches of net free area for intake ventilation.
The first example is an excellent baffle.
The rest are very poor UNLESS the soffit area is one open air space and the baffles are installed all along the eaves.

Please don't block the soffit vents with baffles!

This baffle gives an air channel 3.5" x 22" = 77 square inches. This is what we really want. These baffles can be made of cardboard or other materials

This baffle gives an air channel   about 8 square inches.	This baffle gives an air channel about 28 square inches
This baffle gives an air channel about 12 square inches	This baffle should give an air channel about 44 square inches. Usually the insulation pushes the baffle up to the roof deck.

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Soffit Ventilation Problems

Just because you can see soffit vents does not mean there is cool air going into the attic. Sometimes they are blocked by insulation or framing. Sometimes the opening is not all cut out.



You can see through the louvers.



This soffit vent is nearly worthless for ventilation.



These holes will give about 14 square inches of ventilation instead of the 65 si there should be for an 8" soffit vent.