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Great Site! DIY Venting, Predrilling, Wasps and Flashing

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Craig D
7/31/2007
First great advice on this site, I'm glad I found it. I'm installing a metal roof and have a few questions. Ranch style house. 1) I have gable vents with a powered fan at one end. I added vented soffits to get more air flow. I’m going to install a Ridge Vent while I’m at it. Is this OK or can there be too much venting? 2) Is there any problem or issues with pre-drilling the panels? Can I drill several at a time? I’m screwing the flat metal and have 30lb tar paper on top of one layer of asphalt shingles. 3) What can I do about at the exposed rib at the eves; I’m concerned about wasps getting up in the panels. Or is the ¾ inch rib not large enough for the wasps? Same goes for the ends of the gable trim meets at the gutter birds and wasps. What to do? 4) And last. The center portion of my roof is raised 18inchs and has a 12 inch overhang. The lap siding was ran down to the shingles and had flashing under the siding and shingles. Is it OK just to run the new flashing down the outside of the siding? Thanks Craig
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
8/3/2007
If you have good soffit vents as intake and ridge as exhaust, the gable vents can throw off the balance and actually prevent you from getting good air exchanges. www.airvent.com is a good source of venting information. Panels can be pre-drilled from the back side in a stack. Your roofing manufacturer should offer some kind of closure for the end sof the panels -- usually either form or caulking. It would be best to remove the siding and be able to install new flashing if at all possible, to keep water from getting behind the flashings.
Craig D
8/5/2007
Thanks Todd Can you clarify a couple of things? I guess I didn’t explain this issue in my other post, so here goes again. The Ranch style house 70LX30W. Each vent is 3 inch wide and extends down each soffit. The gables are vented with one gable powered fan. 1)Now that I’m adding the metal roof, what about a "New" ridge vent? Leave as is? If adding a ridge vent….what do I do about the gable ends? From my research it appears that I need to close the gable vents and install a continuous ridge vent. But if the ventilation wasn’t working well, my roof wouldn’t have lasted 27 years so far! So I’m not sure what I should do! 2) Should I pre-drill for a first timer or how to keep the screws aligned? 3) Ok I have foam. Is it customary to but these at the eve side under the metal or a waste of money? Thanks, We start Next week!!! Craig
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
8/5/2007
I would add a new ridge vent and close the gable vents. I understand that past ventilation has seemed sufficient. However, better ventilation can reduce heating and cooling costs. Also, we tend to keep making houses tighter. This increases the need for ventilation to avoid moisture troubles. If this is a through-fastened panel, I would pre-drill the homes. I would use the foam.
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
8/5/2007
I would add a new ridge vent and close the gable vents. I understand that past ventilation has seemed sufficient. However, better ventilation can reduce heating and cooling costs. Also, we tend to keep making houses tighter. This increases the need for ventilation to avoid moisture troubles. If this is a through-fastened panel, I would pre-drill the homes. I would use the foam.
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