(I know this is a pretty specific roofing question... I posted on another site, and wanted to see if any of your folks know anything about it.)

Ok, so I'm getting my roof done and the roofer has told me that in order to qualify for the GAF Golden Pledge I have to have my soffit vented. Currently it is not. When you remove the soffit, you see solid wood with NO holes, etc.

My roofer wants to remove 100 feet of soffit and facia, and cut a constant "strip" along the soffit. (Not sure how wide, I would guess, maybe an inch(?). They will then replace the soffit with fully vented soffit, and make new facia.

My concerns are: I live in a VERY high wind area and I want to avoid water problems. Can this make water blow in? Water here blows 360 degrees (FOR REAL). Am I making a mistake by letting him do this.

He is also cutting a ridge vent. I have inspected the material GAF uses and I don't understand how water can't blow under and through that black mesh/sponge type stuff.

Next. What do *you* think of the GAF Golden Pledge, and Timberline Ultra 5 step process.

I know this is a long post but I really need help with this one.

Thanks a alot,

Pete

We use mesh vent, water has to have some serious velocity to penetrate the vent, and even if it does the vent gets saturated and expands so nothing can penetrate.

If you blow a power washer at vented soffit and check for water penetration you will find that very little water will be present.

Reagrding venting, lack of venting is harder on your roof and heating bill opposed to a properly vented roof. It's an expansion thang.

Also regarding the vent, if water does hit the mesh the velocity is stopped and gravity forces the water down.

I concur with the soffit vent............sufficient airflow is critical for long life of the roof.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Ok, the mesh and everything you're talking about is for the ridge vent. Based on what you've said and what I've read time and time again... I'm going to guess the ridge vent is going to be great.

What about cutting the "rip" along the entire soffit area?

Sound like the very best way to do it?

Pete

I'm not too sure about that one, mainly because it's a I have to see it scenario.

One issue you need to consider is whether the space between your rafters is filled with insulation or not. When I had a rental property reroofed, they wanted to vent the soffit and ridge but once they pulled off the old shingles, and sheathing I saw that it was useless because there was no pan to hold the insulation away from the sheathing so air could not flow from the soffit to the ridge. No need to spend the money if air wont flow.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

In order to qualify for the GAF Golden Pledge I have to remove all the insulation that isn't allowing for vent flow. It's a total remodel, so I don't have a problem with that.

I want the job done right, and if I have to have a soffit vent stip cut around the house, so be it. Sounds like it is the thing to do.

Thanks,
Pete

On an attic remodel I did (putting a small bedroom into an unused attic), we used the rigid foam board insulation, sometimes called polyiso board, 3 inches thick, 2 x 6 roof rafters with some backing blocks on the rafters to keep the foam board a couple inches away from the roof. We used the plastic corrugated ridge vent, I think it was only about 5" wide on each side, and though I was concerned about windblown rain, we've had no problem and we get some pretty serious storms here a few times each winter, though maybe not as severe as yours.

The foam board has great R value, I forget the number, but I think around 3 or 4 times the value per unit of thickness compared to fiberglass. You could make a good little reefer truck unit with this stuff.

I've not used the same corrugated plastic on soffits, but I bet it would work as well.

BTW, during the summer, if you get up by the ridge, you can feel the hot air poring out, and word is, it will increase your roof life dramatically.

Don't know if this is what you needed...

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

First question:

Why remove the facia? It's the soffit that is the problem.

Second question:

Why cut a one inch strip in the soffit? One inch is going to flow almost no air. Why not remove the wooden soffit completely and replace the the wooden soffit with the proper fully vented vinyl soffit? The labor is about the same.

Call your building inspector and see what the local standard practice is.

Run some searches, ventilation, condensation, mildew, ice dams. There are some good articles on these subjects that apply to your concerns. Moving air reduces the effectiveness of insulation.

But too little promotes mildew and rot.........and will curl your shingles in under 10 years and rot the underlayment.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

A vented roof is both good and bad. The good is that it helps move hot air out of the attic and adds to the life of the roof. The bad is that if there was a fire the roof will go much quicker.

My house came standard with a vented roof (continuous ridge vent). I added an electric roof ventilator which works off a thermostat. This has helped keep the upstairs much cooler in the summer heat. Before I installed the roof ventilator, the upstairs ceiling acted like a radiant floor (ceiling) heater. I would not add an electric roof ventilator unless there was proper soffit venting.

__________________
Ray
1998 Mercedes E320, 200K Miles
2001 Acura 3.2TL, 178K Miles
1992 Chevy Astro, 205K Miles

1st. depends on what kind of facia is on there and/or how it was put on, it may have to come off first

2nd, 1in all thea way around is dcent and somewhat of a standard on some homes.. should be better then nothing...

__________________
72 W114/M130

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