*Gable Vents*
Inspected a house this week and this was amazing to see - again…
Gable vents... the triangular vents (in this case) at the roof peak of older homes have fixed louvers and there is screen behind those louver to keep out insects or birds/animals - most of the time.
This is one of those "hidden in plain sight" things.
When I see a gable vent, I immediately look for holes in the screen in the vented area at all locations. I see the holes in the screens mostly in the corners; sometimes the whole vent screen is missing. Birds, Bats, and animals at some point WILL find their way into the attic space. When they do, havoc can ensue, and you certainly don't want bats in your attic. Bat guano (poo) is not a good thing to have in your attic. Rats can have access thru these holes as well.
See the pictures below:
This is a gable vent. They may be triangular, square, or circular near the roof peaks.
These are the holes in the screens where animals/birds can enter.
This is what you may see on the other side (aka -inside the attic).
Yep, this is nesting material about the size of a broken-fluffed hay bale - maybe more. It is not an uncommon occurrence to see nesting material within an attic. It IS however uncommon to see this MUCH material. This is many, many, years worth of effort from the birds.
IF you have this type of ventilation system, check the screens for holes. Using a high power flashlight at night is an easy way to find the holes. (I took these pictures during the day using a very bright flashlight to highlight the deficient area in the picture for use in the client's inspection report.)
Check the attic for animal intrusion and remove/exterminate the critter(s) until gone, and then repair the holes as/where needed.
Additional note: If you only have gable vents and do not have roof vents, adding additional ventilation is recommended to create more of a draft from the gable vents, thus removing more heat from your attic.
Hope this helps.
Stats
www.alpharubicon.com
All materials at this site not otherwise credited are Copyright © 1996 - 2014 Trip Williams. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for personal use only. Use of any material contained herein is subject to stated terms or written permission.