My 2 year old house has no soffit vents. Is that common in construction these days?
Answers:
That first answer confused me.
Does your house have Gable vents?
What about Ridge vent at the peak of your roof?
I'm in the Northeast so I'm not sure about Tex., But we always vent the soffits.
If you have ridge and gable vents that should be sufficient.If not you con buy round soffit vents that are easy to install.
Couple of things to think about before venting soffit.
1. The bays between your rafters must have "Proper Vent" this is a Styrofoam panel which gets stapled to the underside of your roof sheathing and it's purpose is to give the air coming in from your soffit vent a place to travel up the roof.
2. You need a place for this air to escape ( Ridge Vent or Gable Vent)
Hope This Helps
Other answers:
The idea of soffet and roof vents are to keep the temperature in a dwellings attic areas equal to the outside ambient temperature and to allow free air flow, reducing buildup of moisture. Which over time will allow premature degredation of the building materials used. Most notably Wood. So, if the constuction of your home or dwelling is comprised of nondegradable building materials it's likely that venting has been kept to a minimum. Still, rule of thumb dictates that you insulate the living areas ie: ceilings, floors and sidewalls but vent the ramaining portions of the dwelling. If still in doubt it is always wise to consult with your local building inspector for proper construction codes for your area.
The idea of soffet and roof vents are to keep the temperature in a dwellings attic areas equal to the outside ambient temperature and to allow free air flow, reducing buildup of moisture. Which over time will allow premature degredation of the building materials used. Most notably Wood. So, if the constuction of your home or dwelling is comprised of nondegradable building materials it's likely that venting has been kept to a minimum. Still, rule of thumb dictates that you insulate the living areas ie: ceilings, floors and sidewalls but vent the ramaining portions of the dwelling. If still in doubt it is always wise to consult with your local building inspector for proper construction codes for your area.
it probably has ridge vents,look on the roof
Soffit vents depend on the construction or design of the home. Not all designs are conducive to soffit venting. The new generation of vents are less conspicuous and to an untrained eye can be easily overlooked. If the Builder is still available ask him or her about the issue. The blue prints were obviously approved by the local building dept. and proper ventilation is a code requirement.
I live on the Texas Gulf Coast, most homes in my community have both a Ridge vent and soffits. I recommend both. Hot trapped air is not your home's friend. Perhaps your builder had an inexperienced crew that overlooked the task of installing the required vents. Check with a local home inspector he is knowlegeable on area building codes.