I went with ridge vents, mostly because I got a deal on them and my attic was basically a sauna. You’re right about the soffit vents—mine were packed with old insulation, so I had to clear those out first. My decking’s the old plank kind too, and yeah, there are gaps. I just layered some thicker felt underlayment and crossed my fingers... so far, so good, but I’m always half-expecting to find a squirrel in the attic.
Need Advice On Replacing An Old Leaky Roof
- Clearing out those soffit vents makes a huge difference, for sure. I’ve seen so many attics where blocked airflow just cooks the whole space.
- Ridge vents are a solid call, especially with plank decking—just gotta watch for critters, like you mentioned. I’ve seen raccoons squeeze through gaps you’d never expect.
- Thicker felt is a good move, but if you ever re-roof again, consider adding a solid deck layer over the planks. Helps with both gaps and shingle longevity.
- If you’re worried about wildlife, metal mesh over vent openings can help without blocking airflow. Learned that the hard way after a bat incident...
Not sure I’m sold on ridge vents with plank decking unless you’re 100% certain about sealing up every gap. I’ve seen moisture issues crop up when the venting isn’t balanced right, especially in older homes. Sometimes gable vents plus good soffit airflow do the trick just as well.
NEED ADVICE ON REPLACING AN OLD LEAKY ROOF
Gotta agree, ridge vents on plank decking can be a headache if you’re not careful. I’ve pulled apart a few old roofs where moisture just hung around because the gaps let warm air sneak in... not fun. If you’re sticking with plank, you’ve really got to go nuts with blocking and baffles, otherwise you’re asking for trouble. Honestly, sometimes just dialing in soffit and gable vents works better, especially if you don’t want to tear into the whole roof structure. Just my two cents from crawling around too many attics.
Honestly, sometimes just dialing in soffit and gable vents works better, especially if you don’t want to tear into the whole roof structure.
I ran into this exact debate last year when I had to deal with our original plank decking. The roofer pushed hard for ridge vents, but after reading up and hearing stories like yours, I went with just soffit and gable vents. Haven’t noticed any moisture issues so far, but I’m still a bit skeptical about long-term airflow. Guess time will tell if I made the right call...