# Baffle installation



## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

I’m thinking more about ventilation improvements these days. It’s important because the warranty is greatly diminished without it, and mildew can develop without it.

I always add more soffit vents if needed and on occasion more baffles to hold back the insulation.

I’ve noticed that house that are about 15-20 years old frequently have the minimum number of soffit vents required to meet code. If you go in the attic though you will probably find that they only have 1 baffle per vent.

An 8” x 16” soffit vent has about 65 square inches of net free area. I figure you would probably need 3 baffles for each vent to provide enough net free area in the attic for the air to get through.

I’m thinking about this more now because I want to start offering blown in fiberglass insulation and of course adding baffles while the installers are in the attic would be the best time to do it.

I’m just wondering, how often do you add baffles?

How many baffles do you add? I think newly constructed homes have baffles between every truss. When you improve ventilation on an existing house with a roof replacement or insulation job do you think it would make sense to put baffles between each truss?

It might be difficult to do with a lower pitched roof.

Look at the photo below and you’ll see a guy lying on his back to install baffles. I don’t know if anyone that works for me would be that dedicated, how about you?


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## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

We do blown in fiberglass and if the customer is willing to pay, will baffle every rafter. At very very least you'd want to baffle any rafter which has a soffit vent, but the cost increase would be soooo minimal, you might as well do them all or none.


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## tomstruble (Jan 19, 2009)

those foam type baffles alow air to blow right thru the fiberglass the better ones have a dam that covers the edge of the insulation


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## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

*How is insulation working out for you?*

Are you using the Owens Corning AttiCat insulation?

Are you selling insulation jobs separately or mainly as an add-on to roofing jobs?


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## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

*Tell me more*

Can you post a picture or a link?

How hard is that type of baffle to install on a retrofit application?


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## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

*Accuvent*

Are you talking about this baffle made by Berger? It’s called Accuvent. Can it be used on a retrofit or just new construction?


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## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

*Cardboard baffles*

Here are a couple I found at insulationmaterials.com. They are made out of cardboard. One of them is 6 ft long, I wonder if it would possible to use it in attics that don’t have much head room.


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## user182 (Jan 17, 2009)

*Fiberglass plug*

This photo shows a piece of fiberglass being use as a plug to prevent the blown in insulation from being blown into the soffit.


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## Lefty (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi,

I just started to offer attic insulation. Owens Corning is the brand I went with.

Attic Insulation


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## Broken_Roofer (May 20, 2009)

When we install baffles we'll put them in every rafter space, whether there's a vent or not, the cost difference is negligable to me.

Also to note if you're using multiple baffles to cover a larger run, space them 1-2" apart to allow airflow between the baffles, preventing moisture build up in the baffles themselves. You'll regret not doing so when you get a call back in the middle of winter for a mysterious leak that shouldn't be there.


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## ammours (Mar 5, 2010)

*Installing waxed cardboard baffles*

Hello there,

I have just started adding insulation to the attic. I have a low roof and I am going to blow enough insulation so that it will cover the first cardboard and probably the second. My question is how to ensure that this cardboard is not going to bend in the future (sticking foam balls on it?) ?

Another question is : Shall I give a space between the two cardboards (which I am going to extend the first one for large run) ? If so, then the insulation will go through.. the reason to add the space is to prevent moisture on baffles themselves.. However, they are waxed.. what do you think ? Please reply asap.


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## Nick Tomich (Feb 11, 2010)

The minimum soffit venting should be at least one panel for every 2 solid, unless your using a center vent which is different all together. But here in Indiana its code to put a vent in every other run of a roof joist. It DOESNT matter if its over a vent in the soffit. The whole whole soffit system allows air in thru the soffit into the vent into the attic out the roof vents or vice versa. If air goes in thru a panel and has to make a slight left or right into an air deflector or baffle or durovent (what ever you call them) Its not going to hurt the efficiency or integrity of the ventilation system. For the small air you will gain by doing every run, if cost allows then go for it.


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## Nick Tomich (Feb 11, 2010)

> Shall I give a space between the two cardboards


 You want to Install the bottom one then install the top one into the bottom one. Since this is a retro You cant install The top one first. The reason for this, If you get a leak or condensation build up it will run out to the soffit. Hope that helps!


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## stevie d (Aug 5, 2010)

up here in the northeast we found out there is still a lot of heat loss with that method we now put a pic of 2" r max in the in the roof bay up to the vent and sprayfoam so no drafts 
it is like putting a sweater on a windy day wind goes right through it until a wind breaker on 
same idear steve


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## jimsonburg (Aug 4, 2010)

Baffles are often added by homeowners when they are adding extra insulation to their attic. Baffles come in two sizes, 16" and 24" to fit between the rafters of your house. Baffles are located at where the rafters meet the floor of the attic. They can be installed using a staple gun, with the staples spaced about four inches on either side.


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