# Best kind of soffit vent?



## jfm (Nov 4, 2011)

I have a 1500 sf home with hip roof and 2 ft eaves and have to replace the soffit and fascia. When I purchased the 3/8" plywood soffit material and 1"x6" fascia material, I also bought 2" continuous aluminum vent, because I thought it would be easier to install. It doesn't have any screening, however, for insect exclusion, so I'm tempted to take it back and exchange it for something else.

I would be appreciative of any suggestions as to what would be best - keep the 2" continuous or exchange for something else, and, if so, for what?


----------



## joecaption (Nov 4, 2011)

Take it back and look for a differant one with a screen built into it.
If you really want to fix this once and for all I'd go with  triple 4 vinyl soffit vents and wrap the fasia with coil stock. Yes it will cost you more, but from then on it can never rot or need paint again.


----------



## jfm (Nov 4, 2011)

joecaption said:


> Take it back and look for a differant one with a screen built into it.
> If you really want to fix this once and for all I'd go with  triple 4 vinyl soffit vents and wrap the fasia with coil stock. Yes it will cost you more, but from then on it can never rot or need paint again.



Does the vinyl soffit material have screen or just holes too small for insects?

Also, I guess this is applied directly to the rafters with no plywood. I considered that, but it seemed to me that it would be too flimsy with nothing underneath. That's why I thought I should go with the plywood.


----------



## joecaption (Nov 5, 2011)

The soffit can be bought several differant ways, the best looking one is beaded hidden vent. It looks like bead board and from below you can not see the holes, also the most expencive but for an older home it really looks nice. When I do this style I use vinyl cove moulding made by Certinteed. It looks like cove molding but has a built in 1/2 slot to hold up the soffit.
Any real siding supply carrys it, Lowes and Home Depot would have to special order it.
The other style come with round or slotted holes, no screen and can be picked up at HD or Lowes.
If the plywood you have now is not rotted or falling down I just use a ciruler saw and make about a 4 to 6" wide slot right down the middle of it and install the soffit material right over it. By leaving it in place it gives you something to nail to so the material does not sag. The to ends are held up with J moulding or the cove I mentioned and the other end is held up with the Coil stock fashia bent into the shape of an L. DO NOT USE THE PREFORMED VINYL FASHIA! It will buckel up if it's faced nailed. It needs to be installed by snapping it into what's called utility trim or under sill trim and punched with a special tool that punches out a rectanguler tab to lock it in place but still allow it to expand.
If you do get someone to do this job for you make sure they use PVC coil stock not smooth. It's stronger and the finish holds up much longer.


----------

