Lack of attic ventillation allowed

[Randall Clark]

With newer standards disallowing soffit vents on buildings that are too close together (fire reasons), wondering how it would be considered acceptable to only have a ridge vent. In many of the cases I've seen this, they could have added a gable vent, which would help some. Long-term, I'm concerned about shingle life. Thoughts?

[Jerry Peck]

The code addresses soffit vents and other vents - with the other vents being in (as I recall) the upper third of the attic height.

Seal the attic and install spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof sheathing ... problem solved ... also solves other problems too.

[Raymond Wand]

Further info

http://buildingscience.com/documents/published-articles/pa-crash-course-in-roof-venting/view

http://buildingscience.com/documents/ba-1409-field-testing-unvented-roofs-asphalt-shingles-cold-and-hot-humid-climates

... and other interesting articles.

[Jerry Peck]

They also have other choices: a) separate the buildings further apart; b) sprinkler the buildings.

[John Kogel]

Option c) Throw the chillun out the window, let that doggone shack burn down.... ;)

[Frank Adame]

I recently saw on a roof, three-foot long narrow vents installed about four feet up from the fascia.
The builder explained about the houses being too close together. But I was surprised to hear him also complain about these new roof intake vents that are supposed to replace soffit vents. He said that with the first snow fall, the vents will clog up.

[Gary Burnett]

This was a townhome and because of the distance between units, the fire code made them double the soffit and for lower ventilation they added these guys. The one I inspected was the model (first one built last one sold) and they had already covered the soffit vents but had not installed these vents. The roof had ridge ventilation and it wasn't sufficient.
This is in Richardson, Texas. Suburb of Dallas.

[Jerry Peck]

But I was surprised to hear him also complain about these new roof intake vents that are supposed to replace soffit vents. He said that with the first snow fall, the vents will clog up.

That's like intentionally hitting your thumb with a hammer so you will forget that you have a splitting headache ... it works, but only for a while ...

Question, though, what happens too all those ridge vents when the first snowfalls ... don't they get covered up and no longer work?

[Dirk Jeanis]

I'm concerned about shingle life. Thoughts?

Randall,
I am unsure what the perceived problem is. I install thermal reflective barrier under the rafters in hot climates. This reflects the radiant heat back to the roof, trapping the hot air in each rafter bay, heat moves up along the after bay to the vents. All the studies show that there is very little heat added to the shingles, if any.

From what I have read this is due to the convection and other air currents that move over the exterior of the roof and the fact that there are multiple materials below the shingles, thereby insulating them to a degree. In other words the natural cooling of the roof shingles from the air prevents overheating of the shingles.

Every report I have read regarding this shows that there is little to no affect on shingle life at all. In fact I believe that most of the newer roofs you would be talking about would have thermal reflective coatings under the sheathing (they really should). Regardless, lets say that one looses 6 month shingle life on a 30 year roof, the savings in utility costs of newer thermal envelope designs saves more money that the value of that 6 months.

If one really wants to save a LOT of money and extend the roof life, don't use comp shingles, use concrete, clay, or metal roofs.

[Dirk Jeanis]

they added these guys. This is in Richardson, Texas. Suburb of Dallas.

I was involved handling problems for owners of townhouses in Dallas very near Richardson. The roofers used similar vents when replacing the roofs.

They all leaked(along with my other leaks and issues)!. I believe it was a design issue for the vent type. The vents were plastic not metal and seems to warp as well. The biggest problem for townhouse is that the management and officers don't understand that they have ONE YEAR generally to make the roofing contractor fix everything.

In this case they wound up doing nothing and the owners still have problems. My brother and father both live there and both have the same problems. The roofer is one of the largest roofing companies in the US, they use subcontracted labor mostly and pay by the square more or less, piece work, I don't believe that many or any had roofing licenses.

If I was an association manager I would require every specialist contractor to only use their OWN employees and management. This would end much of the problem.