Low Pitch Roof Ventilation

Enclosed attics and enclosed rafter spaces formed where ceilings are applied directly to the underside of roof rafters shall have cross ventilation for each separate space by ventilating openings protected against the entrance of rain or snow.

Low pitch roof ventilation.

If your low roof that ends at a wall high side is a pitched roof say 4 12. Basically you need lots of height above the top of your insulation layer plus a few vented doghouses cupolas. This attic space was typically vented via static air vents. The universal design looks great on a shingle roof.

For over generations multi residential flats buildings were constructed in north american with low slope roofs. The roof design included an interstial space of 1 5 to 2 meters between the ceiling and roof deck. Ventilate at the gable ends and insulate the ceilings of the space if not vaulted. For this design to work well on a low sloped not dead flat roof an outside air inlet is provided by a soffit or roof overhang built at the low end of the roof and a roof cavity air vent outlet is provided along the high or up slope end of the roof using a built up half ridge vent.

Low slope roofs are difficult to ventilate but there are a few techniques that work. The universal dormer vent is a low profile off ridge roof vent that is designed for a pitched roof of 3 12 slope or greater. Ventilate at the gable ends and insulate the ceilings of the space if not vaulted.