Soffit vent redux

[Erby]

Remember that the IRC is a "Bare minimum legal standard". That doesn't always make it right or even a good idea.

I'd just go with manufacturer's instructions for the shingles trumping the IRC.

[kurt]

I've read, and reread R806.2 enough to think it's idiotic.

I'd go w/Erby, and figure it a bare minimum, and maybe even wrong.

I'd do my own venting layout, ala O's call for a good ridge vent and some sort of eave/frieze/soffit inlet.

[randynavarro]

So back to my question (and Kurt's original question), soffit vents are in fact required?

[kurt]

Every time I reread it, I come up different. Now, I think there has to be soffit vents (yeah, no shit...).

There is a requirement for cross ventilation for any enclosed attic or any enclosed rafter spaces where ceilings/drywall are installed on the underside of the rafters. Cross ventilation means an inlet and an outlet.

It references eave and cornice vents, and provides a relationship as to where the upper vents go, and that the remainder of the venting has to be handled by the eave or cornice vents.

That's how I interpret right now, anyway. So, I think there is a justification for saying you gotta have vents down low somewhere.

Richard was saying this previously, but it wasn't sinking in.

I think it's a very poorly written section.

[drcr]

A ridge vent by itself will vent an attic space. How efficiently, and the neccessity of which, depends on any number of variables.

A code should be more like guidelines.[:-pirate]