# Newbie: Soffit NFA calculation + what material for vent?



## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

So, one of you wants to have Intake Ventilation without having to cut in the necessary intake vent portals? 

Try the GAF/ELK for what is known as a Solar Intake Booster.

I never used it, nor even seen it, but it may fit your needs.

I use Smart Vent on all sorts of Ranch Houses with very satisfying results and it gets installed on about 50% of the homes we work on with success and no problems since I first started installing it in 2001.

Ed


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## Tranch (Jul 18, 2009)

Ed,

Thanks for answering.

Smart Vent is what one of us wanted, but the other nixed the idea of putting *any* further penetrations in the roof. Thanks to what I read here, though, we will get Shingle Vent II for the ridges instead of Cobra rolled padding. You win some, you lose some.

The soffits are solid wood, except for a few palm-sized eave vents that are not only also screened, but are covered by soffit cover that is not necessarily perforated where the vents are. No ventilation to speak of, in other words.

A contractor who came by this morning (after my first post) suggested tearing out all the soffits and installing perforated soffit covers in their place. That ought certainly be a lot of intake, but is it enough?

Is it even a good solution?


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

contractor who came by this morning (after my first post) suggested tearing out all the soffits and installing perforated soffit covers in their place. That ought certainly be a lot of intake, but is it enough

Should be, in fact it is a good option!!!


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

Make sure that all of the soffit wood is removed, because the amount of air going through depends upon there being an opening beyond the lanced or perforated soffit panels.

Most of the lanced or perforated soffit panels are rated from 6" to 9" of NFVA per Square Foot of the vented panels installed. 

I usually recommend 100% vented panels along the underside of the eave soffits for as much Intake Ventilation as possible.

Ed


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## Tranch (Jul 18, 2009)

Thank you both. We'll make sure all soffit wood is removed, and that all the insulation is raked back and stops where the soffit starts (the soffits are 12", 18", and 28" wide respectively).


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