[AskNACHI.org]

[ASKNACHI]This question was posted on [I]AskNACHI.org[/I] by [B]Jim Vaughn[/B] (from Rome, GA.). [/ASKNACHI]
I inspected a home with vinyl siding. The builder used soffit vent material for the gable vent. Is this allowed or proper?

[David P. Valley]

[quote=AskNACHI.org][asknachi]This question was posted on [I]AskNACHI.org[/I] by [B]Jim Vaughn[/B] (from Rome, GA.). [/asknachi]
I inspected a home with vinyl siding. The builder used soffit vent material for the gable vent. Is this allowed or proper?[/quote]

No. And to make matters worse, gable end vents shouldn't even be used with today's insulation requirements of R-39 value, as this hot cavity will deteriorate any shingles above. If the roofing material is asphalt shingles, the attic cavity will need ridge and soffit vents in order to prolong the life of the asphalt shingles.

See....[URL="http://www.masscertifiedhomeinspections.com/?D=116"]ATTIC VENTILATION[/URL]

[David A. Andersen]

Yes, they do it all the time in the south.

It reduces potential ventilation and does not comply with the ventilation standards. The net free area can be challenged to what ever building standard used for your area.

It can be used, but will require other "upper" vent systems to comply. Ridge vents, power vents etc. as David pointed out.