u/turtal46

I had a ridge vent installed with my new roof. The house has good blown-in insulation in the attic, along with gable vents on both ends.

I also have aluminum soffit installed over the wood soffit, with every 4th piece a vented piece of soffit. After some investigation, I found there are no holes cut in the soffit to actually allow venting.

So, essentially I have 2 gable vents and a ridge vent, which I believe is giving me poor ventilation. My upstairs is always a struggle to keep as cool as my main level, and my AC always seems to be running on hot days.

My plan is to cut 3 or 4 inch holes in as many of the vented soffit pieces that I can, and install baffles in the attic.

Should I cover my gable vents after I do this, or are they ok to keep? I've read about it both ways, and I can't really find a consensus. Some say the gables are fighting the ridge, others say it helps with circulation.

I live in the Midwest, in a Zone 4 area, if that helps. Thanks!

I had a ridge vent installed with my new roof. The house has good blown-in insulation in the attic, along with gable vents on both ends.

I also have aluminum soffit installed over the wood soffit, with every 4th piece a vented piece of soffit. After some investigation, I found there are no holes cut in the soffit to actually allow venting.

So, essentially I have 2 gable vents and a ridge vent, which I believe is giving me poor ventilation. My upstairs is always a struggle to keep as cool as my main level, and my AC always seems to be running on hot days.

My plan is to cut 3 or 4 inch holes in as many of the vented soffit pieces that I can, and install baffles in the attic.

Should I cover my gable vents after I do this, or are they ok to keep? I've read about it both ways, and I can't really find a consensus. Some say the gables are fighting the ridge, others say it helps with circulation.

I live in the Midwest, in a Zone 4 area, if that helps. Thanks!

I am looking to replace an older duct AC/Furnace system with a MrCool heatpump with auxiliary gas heat.

I'm pretty handy, but have never tried my luck with any sheet metal work. The old equipment (furnace and coil) measures 67" from the ground, while the new equipment measures 61.75", for about a 5" difference. The cabinet dimensions on the old and new systems would be the same (21").

My current coil transition connects to a flexible fabric 20"x21" plenum, which has about another inch or so of give.

I have a few plans of attack, but not sure which is the best route as this isn't my field.

* Cheapest and easiest, put the unit on 5"-6" bricks to match the old system's height. This seems...bad? Not sure

* Build a 5-6" riser between the furnace and coil. This might help with static pressure, but don't believe this is an issue to begin with

* Figure out how to build a taller transition piece that fits the fabric plenum

I know the last one (or even the 2nd one) are the routes to go, but I've seriously never messed with sheet metal. This is my only roadblock for doing this system myself, and looking for advice on how others attacked it.