When choosing an attic ventilation system, you need to first establish what goal you are trying to meet: cool air in the attic, a boost for your home’s heat and air system, or the many other functions that an appropriate attic ventilation system can aid by improving efficiency and economy.  Possible types of attic ventilation to be considered for installation in your home include attic fans, mounted in the ceiling of the attic and venting to the roof, fans installed in an attic window, as are found in older homes, smaller turbine-type fans mounted through the roof, louvers installed in attic gables to permit air flow, solar-powered attic fan systems which require no electricity, and numerous other features which provide equally good ventilation for your attic.

Here are some tips to consider when learning how to install attic ventilation:

• First, find out whether the makers of the heating or cooling system in your huse have established any recommendations concerning attic ventilation to enhance the operation of their system(s).

• Consider the state of your attic as it exists now. Is there any operating or old, unused attic ventilation? If there is already pre-existing ventilation material present, can it be adapted to use again or does it need to be modified or removed to make way for a newer ventilation system?

• What pieces are you prepared to add to the new ventilation system. What, if any, modifications need to be made to the attic to complete the job? Can all of the new parts be obtained locally, or will they have to be ordered? Can you order them online, or will they need to be ordered through a store?

• Assemble all of the parts needed and determine from reading the instructions on each whether you are able to install these based on the instructions on the parts themselves.

Ice Dams: These dangerous dams form at the eaves and can cause water form melting snow to back up under the shingles and leak into your home. Ice dams can result form alternate thawing and freezing of snow on the roof due to periods of warm days and cold nights. Or from heat loss through the roof of a poorly insulated and badly ventilated house, causing the snow to melt and then in cold weather to freeze again at the colder eave area.

Air Sealing: Your best defense against ice dams on your roof is to seal off all the places where warm air can leak into the attic from the house. To determine whether moisture problems are generated by interior or exterior sources, check the attic during or just after a storm. If there are no water leaks then check around all light fixtures that penetrate the attic floor and around ducts, plumbing stacks, and attic hatches. If light comes through any joints or you feel a draft, use caulking or weather-stripping to seal the space and create a solid air barrier to the attic floor.

Soffit Vents: These are your second line of defense against attic moisture and work most efficiently when all air leakage problems have been corrected. To prevent ice dams resulting from poor ventilation, install soffit vents and gable vents. When used together, they vent out warm attic air that might  melt snow on the roof and cause ice dams. Electric exhaust fans actually pull warm air from the house and can cause damage and should be avoided.

Insulation: More insulation means a colder, less moist attic. Make sure that your insulation is distributed evenly and that there is full coverage of insulation through out the attic. If any of the insulation is damp, find the leak responsible and repair, then replace the insulation. Insulation should never touch the roof or block vents.

Eave Reinforcement: For extra protection on a sections of the roof where ice dams often form, you can reinforce the eave area by installing a sheet of roll roofing or rubberlike membrane under the shingles. This extends 2 inches inside the wall line.  

Snow Buildup: Snow tends to slide off roof like an avalanche, tearing gutters off, ripping away roofing materials, and smashing plants below. Below are two suggestions for handling a snow buildup problem on your roof.

 De-Icing Tapes: Electrically heated cables installed along roof eaves and in gutters and downspouts, allow for proper drainage of melting snow and ice, and help to prevent ice dams.

These tapes are attached to shingles in a zigzag pattern and are plugged into a waterproof electrical outlet. Once hated, they create drainage channels for water that otherwise would back up behind an ice dam or freeze inside the gutters and downspouts.

Snow Guards: To help hold snow in place, attach a metal snow guard in staggered rows along the roof. Snow guards come in many lengths including  narrow ones for use over doorways.

Preventive maintenance around your home is to keep your home in good  repair.  Such routine home maintenance will avoid major repairs in the future. Below is a list of the most common year round home maintenance work you should do around your home. The chart is simply a guide. If you notice a problem developing take action immediately.

CAUTION: Before inspecting or working on any electrical system or on any device connected to it, shut off the power and check to make sure the circuit is dead with a circuit tester. Unplug any device you plan to work on. For maintenance or repairs to plumbing fixtures or water using appliances you should shut off the water before making any repairs. Follow safety tips when on the roof.

Wood Putty: Wood putty is available in both stick or paste form. Wood Putty fills gouges, cracks and nail holes in wood. Putty can be sanded and painted over to hide any signs of a touch up or repair. Wood Putty comes in a multiple rang of colors to match most woods, but you may have to add extra coloring to the putty and bend to matching particular finishes.

Plaster Fills: Plaster Fills allow you to patch large or deep holes and cracks in plastered or gypsum walls. 

Spackling Compound: Spackling compound fills small cavities, narrow cracks, and nail holes within your walls.

Patching a crack and hole:

Fine cracks, nail holes, and small cuts in plaster walls usually can be repaired with spackling compound.

To patch a wide cracks or hole apply two layers of patching plaster fills plus a layer of fine textured finishing plaster. The first layer should lay more than half the depth of the hole, leaving enough space for the next tow layers. Let each layer need to be dried completely before adding the next layer.

To fill a hole without a base you’ll have to install a metal mesh or a ready made patch before adding the plaster fills.

Finishing the patch:

Matching an existing texture requires the treatment of the still-wet finishing plaster. You’ll have to experiment with the wet plaster to achieve a good match.

For a smooth surface, pull a metal gloat or wide putty knife dipped in water across the plaster. When the plaster is dry, sand to remove minor imperfections then prime and paint.

For textured surfaces, use a paintbrush, household sponge,  or a wire brush. Coat or swirl the plaster in a uniform random or overlapping pattern. To make peaks in the plaster use a brush or a tool with bristles. Once peaks start to stiffen up, gently drag a clean metal float over the surface of the plaster to smooth out the peaks. Once the plaster is dry, prime and paint.

1. Get everyone out of the home.
2. Call the fire department form a neighbor’s house or your cellular phone.

Equip your home with a portable fire extinguisher. Portable fire extinguishers are useful for fighting small, contained fires. Extinguishers are classed by the type of fire they are intended to put out. If you have only one extinguisher, make sure it is a universal extinguisher and will put out all types of fires. If you have more than one extinguisher, store it where it will be effective against the type of fire likely to occur in that area. Make sure to learn how to use extinguishers before you need them. Here are some home fires you may come across and how you can extinguish them.

Kitchen Grease Fires: These fires typically result from cooking.

• Small Grease / Oil Fire in a pan: Turn off the heat right away and cover the pan with a lid. DON’T pour water on a grease or oil fire because water will cause the fire to spread.
• Oven Fire: Turn off the heat and let the fire burn itself out. DON’T open the door to the oven. This will let in more air and will feed the fire and causing it to maintain burning.

Chimney and Roof Fires: A chimney fire occurs when the soot and creosote deposits inside the flue ignite; resulting in a loud roaring noise and causing flames and sparks to discharge out of the chimney. A roof fire results from sparks traveling up the flue and igniting the roof. Most often, such a fire burns through the roof before it is discovered.

• In the event of a chimney or roof fire make sure to get everyone out of the house immediately and call the fire department.

To prevent such fires, examine the following safety measures:

• Keep your chimney or your stovepipe clean.
• Do not burn huge amounts of newspaper or other paper products in your fireplace or wood stove.
• Mount a sparks arrester on the top of your flue.

Curled Shingle: To Flatten a curled shingle, apply roofing cement under the lifted portion of the shingle and then press the curled shingle in place. Tack with roofing nails and cover nail heads with roofing cement.

Hairline Crack: Seal a fine crack with roofing cement or asphalt paint. Place the roofing cement or asphalt paint along the crack with a putty knife. Cement is also sold in cartridges and can be applied with a caulking gun for your convenience.
Tear: Liberally spread roofing cement underneath the tear. Press the shingle back in place and nail each side of the tear with roofing nails. Cover nails and the tear with roofing cement.

1. While wearing protective gloves, remove debris from gutter troughs, like leaves, twigs, and mud. Loosen stuck on mud by scrubbing with a stiff brush. Rinse down leftover debris out through the downspout.

2. Place a garden hose two inches within the top of the downspout and turned the hose on full force, clearing blockage from downspout. If the clog is to jammed feed a plumbers snake into the downspout and loosen remaining partials. Once the plumbers snake has unclogged the remaining debris, rinse the downspout out with the hose once more.

3. To maintain a clean and clear gutter place a leaf strainer within the gutter to allow water to filter through leafs and other debris. Or purchase a mesh screen to place over the gutter. This deflects leaves and twigs from entering the gutter while water is still allowed to pass through.
When you find your gutter is clear from debris but still is not flushing the water out properly you may have a broken gutter. Here are three easy ways to fix the most common gutter issues; leaky joints, small hole, and a hole larger than a half inch.

Leaky Joint Repair Gutter

1. Leaky Joint: Seal the leaky gutter joint between the adjoining sections on both the inside and outside of the gutter with either a butyl-rubber caulking or a silicone-rubber sealant.

2. Small Holes: Patch the small hole in the gutter with a thin coat of roofing cement. Us a putty knife to spread the thin layer of roofing cement well beyond the hole in all directions.

3. Larger Holes Over Half Inch: Repair a larger hole with the same process you would for repairing a small hole in the gutter. Then add a sheet-metal patch on top of the thin layer of roofing cement. Once set, add another thin layer of roofing cement on the patch using a putty knife.