Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004

HOME HANDYMAN
Overhang or not, vent your roof

By Glenn Haege

Q. I have a home that has no overhang for the roof. Hence I have no soffit vents, but I need circulation in the roof. How do I achieve this without the overhang? Should I invest in an electrical-powered roof vent?

A. Don't waste money on electric roof vents. Instead, install special roof-edge soffit vents on roofs with little or no overhang. And remember that to complete the job, you will need to upgrade the attic insulation. You should have R49 insulation in the attic.

Glenn Haege writes for the Detroit News. Write: Ask Glenn, Master Handyman Press, P.O. Box 1498, Royal Oak, MI 48068-1498; or askglenn@masterhandyman.com.