# Soffit venting vs. DCI Smart Vent



## JDPII (Mar 1, 2009)

Hi All,

I am having my roof replaced as a result of a poor intallation job that was done 10-15 years ago. One of the issues is poor ventilation and we now have some mold growth on the underside of the sheathing in the attic.

I have had several roofing contractors out and each has offered venting solutions. We have decided to go with either the DCI Smart Vent (which I have read very good things about in this forum) or having 2" continuous soffit venting installed. This latter solution was only offered by one company and when I asked him why others have not offered it, he told me that many companies do not have skilled enough workers for this type of work. He also said the soffit venting will cost more, but only $200-300 more. 

Question 1: What are your thoughts about going with the DCI product vs. soffit venting? Either way, we will also have ridge venting installed and our gabled vents sealed off.

Question 2: A home inspector recommended against the DCI product (as did one of the roofing contractors), stating that he has inspected thousands of roofs but neither he nor any of his inspector friends has ever seen it. Is it possible that an untrained eye would never even know that the DCI product has been installed?

Thanks for any insights you can offer.


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

A 2" mini-louver vent will only provide 1.5 square inches of NFVA per hole.

See this chart at this link:
http://www.lomanco.com/ProductPAGES/CirkVents.html

You would have to have them run continuously and you still would only equal the same venting as either a continuous strip soffit vent or the Smart Vent by DCI Products Inc., but I am positive that this was not the proposed method of installation and even if it were, what would the structural stability of the soffit wood be like with so many holes cut right next to each other?

http://www.dciproducts.com/html/smartvent_eave.htm



Most roofers do not climb a ladder to do the majority of their estimates, so it would be likely that the under shingle profile of the Smart Vent may have escaped their attention.

But, I find that only a really quality conscientious contractor thinks so far out of the box to improve the soffit ventilation correctly and it does add considerably to the quoted price for all of the additional materials and labor, that many would prefer to just not address the correct solution and be on their merry way offering a cheaper price, but not the correct solution.

Also, I only found out about the product around 2001, myself, but I have been using it on about 50% of all of my roofing project in recent years, where called for.

Ed


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