I live on the coast and was wondering how feasible this would be and what kind of cost I'd be looking at. I have a home built in 1961 2300 square feet. Single story. Before I bought it, it had a new roof put on in 2011. Shingles are defective but not compromising the integrity as of now (basically the granules on the shingles are slowly washing off but the shingles are not shifting). I opened up a soffit vent and was surprised to see no tie downs. Roof is secured via toe nails.

I know I will need a new roof in the next few years but I need to budget for it before I can do it. I have some rotten soffits that I need to have replaced (water damage risk and bug/rodent entrance risk) and was thinking of having them pull down the existing soffits at the same time and adding straps. Access is feasible by doing so. Attic access sucks due to slope of roof. Downside is the soffits are all wood.

How reasonable is this to do or should I just fix the rotten wood and wait until I replace my roof in the next two or three years? I'd like to have the peace of mind knowing my roof is secured better if a cat 3 plus hurricane is coming. As always, I appreciate the help.

Edit to add the rotted soffit is not pictured. Just showing the area where I removed the soffit vent to visualize the roof to wall junction.

Following as I'm in a similar situation with a small section of rotted soffit in a house from 1975; our roof was replaced in 2018 so it overall still has some life left but I'm debating about what to do with the soffit.

I see the tramer reduced 2x6 rafters to 2x4 via birdsmouth cuts, some may weaken the rafter if cut too deep = up up & away these go, Dorothy.
So if we want to anchor 2x4's (at their shear/weak point), then You have to figure out a strap or Simpson Strong-tie that nails (non-corrosive screws better) to both rafter and stud face (not just the top stud plate). Perhaps the soffit framing can be assumed to nail into studs along the way?
Follow directions on the ties but none should be spaced more than 32"oc

THEN
You'll want to anchor attic rafters to interior studs below - however way - about 1/3 distance inside those perimeter studs, only because your perimeter anchors are not typical to today's hurricane/tornado framing SOP.

SOFFITS
Hardie-soffit perforated or equal are the go-to but ....
"solid kerosene" ala Fire Marshall Vinyl perforated vents Pro-bead is very interesting, esp. IF it saves money
https://www.plygem.com/siding/other-siding-products/vinyl-soffit/pro-bead-classic-beaded/
BE sure no attic insulation blocks this vented flow up to the ridge vents (if none, install as many as possible ASAP) ... yes, they even make vents for the jack rafters IF more venting required than ridges provide

INSULATION
While you're at it, add Mo' Insulation attic floor! Cover with reflective sheets if batts don't come-with.

Quote:

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vents for the jack rafters IF more venting required than ridges provide.

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Apologize for the derail, but wonder if you could provide more info on this? I have ridge vents that are way too little for adequate ventilation. Links to what you're describing would be great.

tgivaughn said:

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I see the tramer reduced 2x6 rafters to 2x4 via birdsmouth cuts, some may weaken the rafter if cut too deep = up up & away these go, Dorothy.
So if we want to anchor 2x4's (at their shear/weak point), then You have to figure out a strap or Simpson Strong-tie that nails (non-corrosive screws better) to both rafter and stud face (not just the top stud plate). Perhaps the soffit framing can be assumed to nail into studs along the way?
Follow directions on the ties but none should be spaced more than 32"oc

THEN
You'll want to anchor attic rafters to interior studs below - however way - about 1/3 distance inside those perimeter studs, only because your perimeter anchors are not typical to today's hurricane/tornado framing SOP.

SOFFITS
Hardie-soffit perforated or equal are the go-to but ....
"solid kerosene" ala Fire Marshall Vinyl perforated vents Pro-bead is very interesting, esp. IF it saves money
https://www.plygem.com/siding/other-siding-products/vinyl-soffit/pro-bead-classic-beaded/
BE sure no attic insulation blocks this vented flow up to the ridge vents (if none, install as many as possible ASAP) ... yes, they even make vents for the jack rafters IF more venting required than ridges provide

INSULATION
While you're at it, add Mo' Insulation attic floor! Cover with reflective sheets if batts don't come-with.

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Appreciate the info. Concerning but appreciated. So forgive the poor drawings, but I need to find a brace to attach the rafter and stud wall. Can I screw into the board running across here, or should I go into the darker part of the stud wall further down. I'll have to figure out the second part at another time.

1961 was big hand driven nails. House has survived 63 years of storms so far so i would not stress to much. You can add hurricane ties like this but you need access to do it.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-H2-5A-18-Gauge-ZMAX-Galvanized-Hurricane-Tie-H2-5AZ/100275721


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-Strong-Tie-H1-18-Gauge-ZMAX-Galvanized-Hurricane-Tie-H1Z/100374935

https://www.roofingcontractor.com/articles/88912-hip-ridge-vent-provides-solutions-

These should be easier to find upon demand, I used to have better mrf links ...

I would prefer to find face-of-stud below all that, which might be a connection to the stud top plates.
I mentioned strapping to the soffit framing below IF one could assume correctly the stringer board actually nailed to all stud faces WELL.

Might have to be longer than this
https://www.whitecap.com/product/hts24-heavy-twist-strap-simpson-137HTS24
or perforated long long straps to reach

tgivaughn:

Do those actually work? Don't they inherently violate the golden rule of not putting vents at different heights on your roof?

Also, how do they prevent penetration from wind-driven rain?

They are used rarely locally so cannot report performance nor gremlins
Not the designer, so would shop only top brands that offer these.

The other options are obvious
Dormer or hooded vent penetrations placed high on roof but these need to be numberous
(NOT whirlybirds, power/solar vent hats)
soooo
long Off-ridge vents placed high in the hot areas
Drip edge vents
and of course lots of soffit venting square inches which must also exclude bugs & vermin

Got money?
Construct Hawaiian/Dutch/Boston gables on which large gable vents may mount, best located near top of hip but as close to upper attic heat as possible

Got mo' money?
Create long dormers up top with a low slope roof on which long venting can mount

Vents that project from the roofscape might best be pointed to North to add to suction in hot weather

Next time, start with an architect on the design team

Why do you not like whirlybirds?

Easy to find MUCH research that finds these to be a waste of money + another penetration opportunity for leaks + today's myriad of better options as more effective.
The science in detail is published along with solar/electric powered vent hats.

That said, in-the-day, in a small college town that had almost nothing on the shelf, technology ignorant ... a couple of whirlybirds serving a hip attic getting broiled from all sides, black asphalt shingles, no soffit/ridge venting (yes passed CODE back then & even built as investment rentals by local lumber yard) THEN a renter might see an energy savings payback to these first-costs in a year or two - if no leak costs added.

I wish I could say mo' is better ventilation but now research is poo-pooing gable vents as being counter productive via wind turbulance when an ideal ridge/soffit venting system is in place!
So I guess the prudent saying would be something is better than nothing.

Lastly, did you know that some roofing packages actually include two free whirlybirds a) that they can't move due to reputation, b) as incentive to buy the shingles/felt package .... ?!?!?! haha

tgivaughn:

FYI, the company (Air Vent) that makes those hip ridge vents featured in the article you posted no longer carries them. I reached out to them about it because I couldn't find them on their website. They claim that it was simply to thin their product line, not because they didn't work or allowed rain penetration.

Do you have any links to any studies that show that hip ridge vents do actually work and do not allow rain penetration? TIA if you do.

COBRA well known quality top-o-line ridge vents also offers
https://rebrand.ly/jrqxtwy
https://rebrand.ly/6q0j3q3
https://www.gaf.com/en-us/roofing-contractors/residential?distance=25#numberOfResults=20

I forgot - you are a lawyer in colorado?

Close. In Arkansas.