Roof & Attic Ventilation: What You Need To Know:
Attics must be properly vented so that the air is able to escape back outdoors as quickly as it is being blown into the attic. Most homes have some form of roof/attic venting.
(The illustration above illustrates a home outfitted with different types of vents commonly found on homes)
Why Proper Roof/Attic Venting Is Important
The system works by pulling cool air into the home, while at the same time pushing warm air from your home's living space into your attic. As the attic becomes pressurized, the warm air from the living space and superheated attic air flows out of the structure through existing vents. In order to balance the flow of outgoing air, your home should have a minimum amount of venting to allow the air to escape outside. Attic venting is measured by "net free area". Net free area is the actual opening of a vent after deducting blockage or restrictions, such as screening or vent slats.
When The EnergySaver is configured to vent directly into your attic, you will need 3.2 Sq. Ft of Net Free Venting. However, the EnergySaver can also be ducted directly outside relieving this requirement.
What happens if your home does not have proper roof/attic venting?
The warm air being pushed into the attic, follows the path of least resistance, if it cannot escape to the outside, it will flow back down your walls and back into your living area.
Many homes have vents that are screened. The screening cuts the air flow through these vents in half. For example, if you have a 2' x 2' vent that is screened, your gross vent size is 4 square feet, but by taking the screening into consideration, the vent will have approximately 2 square feet of net free area.
1. Length Multiplied By Width Of Each Vent In Inches = Gross Sq. Inches
2. Divide Gross Square Inches By 144 To Convert To Gross Sq. Ft.
3. Divide Gross Square Feet By 1/2 (screened vents) = Sq. Ft Net Free Area.
The EnergySaver Alleviates The Need For Large Amounts Of Roof & Attic Venting:
While most homes will accommodate the requirements needed by EnergySaver to exhaust directly into the attic, if your home does not meet the requirements, the EnergySaver is the only system on the market that alleviates the need for roof venting when the exhaust port is ducted directly to the outside.
Click Illustraton Below For EnergySaver Configured
With Exhaust Ducted Directly Out Of Home
The above illustration shows how the EnergySaver System is ducted directly to the outside via a dormer vent. Three of the 4 intake ports are attached to grilles that pull air from the living area, while the fourth port is left open - to exhaust warm air in the attic.