Does anyone know if you can add sofit vents after the sofit is in place?

Question

We had vinyl sofit put on our house 2 years ago. They drilled large holes in the existing wooden sofit and said that would be all that is required but there is no cold air going into the attic from the sofit and when I took a piece of the material they used and ran it under the tap water wouldn't even go through it.

Is there a way to add screen vents to the existing sofit where the vents were on the old wooden one. Can one of those sofit pieces slip out and be replaced with a vent? Is there even such a vent that I can use?

Something has to be done to allow the cold air into the attic. The roof vents and windmar turbine isn't enough to keep away ice dams by allowing cold air into the attic

Andre B · Accepted Answer

Hello,  First of all did the contractor install perforated sofit vent or is it solid meaning no little holes? That means there should be little holes drilled over each and every sofit section for optimal performance.  If so and if the contractor cut big enough holes or removed the wood completely ( that is the right way) in each rafter bay in the existing wood sofit that is all you should need there.
Also make certain that the attic insulation is not obstructing the airflow. Should not be up against the roof.
Now either you have gable vents on both ends of the house or a ridge vent along the entire length       ( best method) of the roof. If not, the sofit vent won't work for crapola. The flow of air pulled through the sofit should be at least equal too the exhaust gable or roof/ridge vent for it to work properly. Turbines are not the best way and they look like crap. (my opinion).
As far as ice damning up. sofit vent won't help you there. Heat loss through the ceiling into the attic is what causes that. If your attic is not sufficiently insulated you will have heat loss which will melt snow and as it the water drains and reaches the edge of the lowest part of the roof it gets colder and freezes. If it were me I would over insulate the attic. Save you tons of money in the long run.

I've been a home builder and repairs all of my working career. I know this stuff inside and out. Hope I answered your question. Anytime you need work done please take my advice, do you homework and research as much as you can. Too many home owners getting burned by so claimed small contractors. Andre

keith p · Answer

Yes you can but be careful cutting out the hole in the sofit to make sure that the vents you fit are the right size .

Nomadd · Answer

The soffit material isn't suppose to let air through, but the soffit installation is nowhere near airtight. They must have messed up by putting pieces of the soffit up against the vents in the wood instead of leaving a gap for the air to get through. 
 You can just look for some good looking vent covers that you can cover the holes you're going to cut in the soffit with.

? · Answer

You can go back and do it anyway you want to. My. 50year old house has a mesh screen on the pereter. Remeber you need ridge vents to let the heat excape that's what your doing is circating the hot air. I had hardiblank and wood then those mesh vents cut. I live n south texas.

gordon1212 · Answer

I dont understand? if they used the vented soffet why wont water run through it?The sections have thousands of small holes the biggest allowable size to keep out bugs

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Does anyone know if you can add sofit vents after the sofit is in place?

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