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Our electrical provider here did a study on these power vents years back. We're no longer allowed to use them. They claim if it consumes electricity, it saves you nothing and usually ends up using far more energy than it saves.
...does it mean I should let the passive ridge/soffit vents do their job...
If they are adequate? Almost always. Few are.
As you described your eave vents ... yours certainly aren't.
Plan to do the eave work ASAP... and the insulation ASAP.
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...and leave the attic fan off?
And cross that bridge when you get to it.
But it probably won't matter if on or off as you almost certainly will need more exhaust
area than you have now. How you achieve that is best done by way of a ridge.
But doing the ridge will also mean closing the gable ends.
So... one step at a time.
Mr.R- I think another poster said he has gable. My roof has the ridge and soffit vents. Soffit all along the edge of the roof as I see it looking up from ground level. No gable. Plenty of insulation already. So just wondering what is the proper use of the power attic vent or is it better left off altogether.
...what is the proper use of the power attic vent or is it better left off altogether.
As said... if the intake and outlet openings are both sized right there is no need for fans.
(eg: one square foot of net free vent area per 300 square feet of attic floor LINK)
That's the whole point of the convection design.
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My roof has the ridge and soffit vents.
Soffit all along the edge of the roof as I see it looking up from ground level.
When up in the attic... if you look down into the eave do you have daylight?
The soffit at my house was one continuous narrow opening the whole length and all was good.
A steady amount of air was able to flow in down the whole length of the house.
Then the vinyl guys came.
The louvre portion of the vinyl installed over the wood allowed maybe one tenth of that air to flow.
Picture link HERE
I also live in NE. Very humid in the summer. I dont have a fan or ridge vents. I have tiny sofet vents and an opening on each end of the house in the attic.
What is more recommended? A fan or ridge vent? Does either have an affect on reducing humidity in the house?
Attic ventalation will not reduce you homes humidity, Humidity is water in the air. Attic vents and fans only reduce heat cause by sun's rays heating your roof and air in attic.
Thanks for everyone's response. K- does it mean I should let the passive ridge/soffit vents do their job and leave the attic fan off?
As a few others have already lamented too- it depends.
Attic size, soffit vent total free area, and ridge, gable, or other free area- that mathematical equation I referred to earlier.
With a ridge vent, leave the fan off. They are a pretty common source of house fires and tend to pull conditioned air from your interior anyway.
House fires??? why is that?
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