Soffit Vents and Attic Ventilation
A cold attic, with the insulation on the attic floor, needs air in at the eaves and out at the ridge or the other side, or damp air from the house condenses on the cold roof timbers. Vented soffit boards or over-fascia vents let it in. New soffits and fascias, or thicker attic insulation, are when the vents are usually added.
Why attics need air, the signs they don't get enough, and the vents.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- Air inat the eaves
- Air outat the ridge or the other side
- Part Fthe Building Regulations on ventilation
Why the attic needs air
Warm, damp air from the house rises into the attic. If it can't get out, it condenses on the cold felt and timbers. More insulation on the attic floor makes the attic colder, so a roof that was fine can start to drip after an attic is insulated. Building Regulations Part F (ventilation) covers roof spaces; the guidance is on gov.ie. Insulation pushed into the eaves must not block the air path.
The signs
- Drips or wet patches on the attic floor insulation in cold weather.
- Black mould on the underside of the felt or on the rafters.
- Rusty nail heads in the roof timbers.
- Damp on the bedroom ceiling near the eaves.
The vents
- Vented soffit: soffit boards with a continuous slot or small round vents along them.
- Over-fascia vents: a strip on top of the fascia, under the first row of tiles.
- Eaves trays: keep the insulation back so air reaches the attic.
What vented boards cost
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Soffit only, by the metre | €66 to €98 a metre | Vented or plain, the bearers behind |
| Fascia and soffit by the metre, fitted | €45 to €98 a metre | Board depth, colour, vents |
Supplied and fitted in uPVC. Work on a house is at the reduced 13.5% VAT rate.
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Soffit and fascia problems
What each one is, and what fixes it.
Soffit and fascia repairs by county
- Carlow26% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Cavan23% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Clare32% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- CorkOn our Cork site
- Donegal29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Dublin33% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Galway29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Kerry32% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Kildare28% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Kilkenny28% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Laois23% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Leitrim22% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Limerick31% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Longford26% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Louth29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Mayo29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Meath25% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Monaghan30% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Offaly27% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Roscommon26% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Sligo29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Tipperary29% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Waterford30% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Westmeath27% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Wexford24% of homes built 1961 to 1990
- Wicklow32% of homes built 1961 to 1990
Check your soffit and fascia
Four taps: what you see under the roof edge, the house, what the boards are now and the county. You see what it most likely is, the fix and our price. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want one fascia and soffit company that covers your county to ring you.
Questions people ask
Does every attic need soffit vents?
Cold attics with a felt that doesn't breathe usually need air at the eaves. A breathable membrane or a warm roof works differently.
I just had my attic insulated. Now it drips. Why?
The attic is colder now, and the eaves may be blocked. Check the air path at the eaves.
Can vents be added without new soffits?
Yes: small round vents can be cut into a sound soffit, or over-fascia vents fitted.
Get your roof edge sorted
One local fascia and soffit company, often a price from a photo. Free, no obligation. Nothing is booked until you say yes.