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What is the name for this type of vent, that is, an approximately one-inch gap above the fascia trim, and where in the IRC is it referenced, if it is?

P.S. I'm not referring to the louvered drip-edge/vent but to the gap itself, which is located above the fascia trim.

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3 Answers 3

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In my neck of the woods, Mass, some builders call those "Hicks" vents. Not sure if that was a manufacturer or inventor or what. I refer to them as drip edge vents.

I have these on my house, I HATE THEM! I'll tell you why.

On my house, unlike your diagram, there is a normal soffit and the drip edge and gutter are on the rafter tails. More typical construction practice around here, puts the attic venting in a continuous soffit vent, a gap in the underside of the soffit, covered with a ventilated aluminum flashing. I am slowly retrofitting them into my house.

My problems with the drip edge vent are two fold. 1) they were installed them poorly and in some places the water doesn't drip off the edge, but runs behind the gutter and down the siding. I fixed this by retrofitting some more drip edge.

The more serious problem is in the winter. If my gutter fills with snow and ice, additional water (melt or rain) will go up through the vents, and into the soffit and then down inside the wall. I have had to put up gutter heaters and maintain them to prevent this. And it caused multiple siding repaints before I figured out the extent of the moisture problems they are causing. (not to mention carpenter ants)

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There's probably no specific technical term for the gap. You're dealing with "roof edge venting" or "drip edge venting", and the gap is implied as a requirement.

If you like, call it a "roof edge vent gap".

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  • Thanks. I've asked the local building inspector to tell me if such a gap is up to code (the house was built in the 1940s). His answer was that the roof must be installed according to the installation requirements of the manufacturer. Would you happen to know if it can stay as is?
    – TRomano
    Nov 28, 2016 at 15:47
  • I'm not familiar enough with the relevant codes nor that product to comment. Have you compared your situation with the product specs?
    – isherwood
    Nov 28, 2016 at 15:48
  • I'm hoping to find out about the location of the gap itself (not about that particular drip-edge product). That jjust happened to be the only picture I could find. Imagine the picture without the louvered vent, and cedar shingles hanging over the gutter.
    – TRomano
    Nov 28, 2016 at 15:50
  • Ok, then the variables are 1) attic area, which is normally used to calculate vent area, and 2) any product you do end up using as a drip edge vent.
    – isherwood
    Nov 28, 2016 at 15:59
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Proper term is eaves ventilation I believe. At least that gave me lots of google hits.

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