Join the MRA | Member Login
Find a Professional
Sign Up Log In Add New Topic

TOPIC: Ventilation

Major venting issues possibly??

Return to Ventilation

Return to Archive

Return to Forum

Hello, I have just recently had a log cabin built early this year up in northern Ohio, and am appearing to have some venting issues. I have no attic spaces, all ceilings are cathedral and are conventionally framed with 2x12s. The roof pitches are 12 pitch and 4 pitch. My roofing is the pole barn style basic metal roofing that comes in 4' wide sheets. Underneath the metal is a layer of tar paper, osb, fiberglass batt insulation that is unfaced and then tongue and groove pine on the indide of the room. Under the ridge cap there is foam molded to the shape of the ribs of the roof and has a scotch brite like material in between the ribs to allow venting. My problem is since it is getting colder ~ 25 degrees, I am noticing when it is windy there are cold drafts coming down from the ceiling and my furnace is having a terrible time keeping the rooms warm enough. The problem is only when it is windy. This is the first winter for this home, I have had no issues so far all summer. I think there is some major issue here and am trying to do some research before approaching my builder to see if he did something wrong. Any and all help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!! Andy athollinger(at)gmail.com
Andy Hollinger

12/7/2010
Based on your current construction, there is not much you can do. The amount of perforation and air flow that moves through the T&G requires that there be some sort of ventilation to carry out the moisture from the underside of the roof. The ventilation is also what is creating the drafts. If you were re-roofing the home, you can address those air leakage issues at that point but you are pretty log jammed at this point.
Eric Novotny
An informed customer is the Best Customer!

12/8/2010
Gotcha, I can take the T&G down fairly easily on the inside, is there anything that I can do to tighten up the living space so that I dont get so much air movement? I am very handy when it comes to alot of this stuff, I was the guy who did all the interior work, I just did not erect the rough structure. The room over the garage is the worst, which is unfortunately my master bedroom and bath. There are unconditioned spaces behind a knee wall where the roof meets the floor on both sides of the room. The one I have an access door to, and if I open that I get a huge volume of very cold air blowing hard from it. The air seems to be coming from around the insulation in the stud cavities. Im not sure if that is something that is diagnoseable or not, there arent any soffit vents on that part of the house, versus the other section which has some, which may explain why that part of the house has less of an issue. Also is it possible to reduce the number of vented pieces under the ridge cap to help? Thanks a million!!
Andy Hollinger

12/13/2010
Feel free to email me and I will talk you through the repairs over the phone.
Eric Novotny
An informed customer is the Best Customer!

12/14/2010