I have a large to me storage building that I am trying to convert into a garage/workshop. I don't have the time/money/inclination to tear the whole thing down and start anew so I am trying to make incremental improvements that will get me where I want to be one time.
The building it simple rectangle 30' x 48' made mostly out of cement block with a single garage door in either end. The walls are 12' high and the roof is made of wooden trusses with plywood sheeting and asphalt shingles.
There is not any venting at present, the soffit is not designed to vent although there are some gaps large enough to let wasps and some birds in.
What I would like to do is to install an electric gable vent at one end and some intake vents at the other and just pull air through the attic space. I would also seal up the unintentional gaps in the soffit to keep the local wildlife out.
This feels like it would be effective, but it goes against the suggestions I am seeing online. Do I really need to retrofit a soffit vent?
In the future I would like to sheetrock the ceiling and blow in insulation to be better able to heat in the winter. Would that change what I should do?
Best Answer
You only need retrofit soffit vents if you want passive airflow. They will be a very good idea when you sheetrock the lid, but you don't need it yet.
Is this for cooling or moisture control? Moisture is a lot more complicated. Evacuating hot air is as simple as having adequate vent area and airflow.