Venting the roof space

[JDLDIY]

My soffit and facia boards were replaced by the previous owner (Everest I think) with UPVC ones and they are of the non-vented no holes anywhere variety. I am now replacing the UPVC cladding which was on the wall below with render. This means we will have to build the outside leaf of the wall up to the bottom of the soffit boards, which they hadn't bothered to do when the house was built, as they knew they could fill the gap with batons and cladding above the top of the upstairs windows.

So, in filling in what is quite a large gap I am concerned that the roof is sufficiently ventilated. Should I replace the soffit boards with vented ones? Is there something else I can do to vent the roof properly?

Many thanks

JD

 

[masona]

Should I replace the soffit boards with vented ones? Is there something else I can do to vent the roof properly?

You can do but you may find it easier to to drill hole cut out for the Circular Soffit Vent instead of the board soffit vent.

See this

 

[JDLDIY]

Thanks Masona, didn't see these earlier. This definitely looks like the way forward for me, but how many do I need to fit along the length of the board?

Thanks again

JD

 

[masona]

Normally from building regs they are fitted at 200mm centres, it will provide equivalent of a continuous 10mm soffit board vent type.

At 200mm centres they can look a bit of eyesore though, so maybe a little bit wider

 

[JDLDIY]

I still have the Everest guarantee that came with the house and I can see from it that Everest were fitting vented soffit boards at the time. Why wouldn't they have done that with this house? Do all roof constructions require soffit vents? Just wondering if my roof doesn't actually need them.

JD

 

[breezer]

Why wouldn't they have done that with this house?

in short 11a

 

[JDLDIY]

Point taken I guess, not really trying to get anyone here to speak for a third party. Just thought there might be a simple answer - roofs of a certain construction not requiring soffit vents for example.

 

[masona]

Do all roof constructions require soffit vents? Just wondering if my roof doesn't actually need them.

I don't know if it's building regs to have them but I strongly recommended them as I have found the unventilated roof have more problems.
Some details here

 

[JDLDIY]

Cheers Masona, some good info there. I will definitely be fitting some soffit vents, though I'm not sure I will go to the full extent of doing it every 200mm, we'll see. The insulation in my loft was pushed right down into the eaves, but I removed it some months ago.

Thanks again

JD

 

[masona]

The insulation in my loft was pushed right down into the eaves, but I removed it some months ago.

Just do the best you can anything is better than nothing!

If you don't want to use soffit vent, you can fit a eaves vent which sit on top of the fascia board and under the 1st row of tiles, slightly more work this way.
See here

 

[JDLDIY]

If you don't want to use soffit vent, you can fit a eaves vent which sit on top of the fascia board and under the 1st row of tiles, slightly more work this way

Presumably this requires the removal of the bottom row of tiles - it seems to be quite a lot more work. I think I'll just stick some soffit vents in for now. I would imagine that an eaves vent is a better solution with more airflow though.

JD

 

[chappers]

If your tiles are large enough it may be possible to fit over fascia vents without removing the tiles, but you will have to glue the vents to the top of the fascia as you won't be able to screww them.