How to Install and Choose Baffles for Your Attic

Baffles are used in an attic to properly ventilate your roof, preventing moisture from becoming trapped and causing rot. Although there are other methods to ventilate your roof, baffles are often installed as part of a larger attic project that includes adding additional insulation and are easy to install by many homeowners.

Baffles are often called by their more descriptive name: rafter vents. Whatever you call them, baffles are essential if there is a possibility of the soffit vent being obstructed with insulation. It may seem strange to have vents in an attic, but soffit vents are essential in helping to rid your house of excess moisture. If the vents are obstructed, moisture could cause your roof to rot from the inside out, or create a serious mold problem that will require a professional to fix.

In some homes there are existing baffles but they have cracked or there are too few for the size of the space. For this reason, you should check the attic of your home at least once a year for cracked baffles and add additional rafter vents as needed for the size of your home immediately. In general, there should be a baffle between each rafter of your home.

Despite these possible ventilation problems, 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. Most rafter vents are made out of plastic, although there are also models made of foam and even cardboard.

Although rafter vents are easy to install, you should plan to take some precautions before beginning. First, always wear a hard hat when working in your attic. Roofing nails often protrude into an unfinished attic, making it easy to get a puncture wound from a nail when standing. Also, be sure to use a board that you can place over one or more joists so you have a comfortable place to stand without compressing the insulation between the joists or putting your foot through the ceiling.