Charlie:
Ann in West Houston says, “My husband obtained a bid,” I love this, I should tell you I saved this one for last because this is the best letter we’ve gotten in a while. Ann says that, “My husband has obtained a bid to install soffits at the eaves of our one-story, 2200 square foot house. He’s going to put four each in the front and the back. We have two self rotating exhaust thingees in the roof.” I’m reading what she wrote.
Tom:
I understands. And I actually understand what she’s saying.
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Charlie:
“Our home was built in 1971 and since we had a top of the line AC installation 18 months ago, we haven’t had an electric bill over $100. So what’s with these soffits, what are they going to do for us? My husband says, ‘They’ll reduce heat in the attic.’ Who cares? Thank you.”
Tom:
I actually like her, because that’s like the most intelligent question we’ve gotten on the show in weeks.
Charlie:
No offense to all you all.
Tom:
No, no, call that’s fine. But she’s right. What good is it going to do her? Now, I can get into the whole dissertation about how attic ventilation reduces moisture, makes your insulation work better, that’s all true. But it gets to a point where if you don’t get money back on your investment and everything is working fine, this house has been there since 1971, you’re not going to get much of a savings out of the thing. In fact, I don’t think you’d notice 50 cents a month, at even that. So in a way, practical wise, it’s very true. If you want to go the way it should be and the way everything is supposed to be, then you put them in and you say, “I did it, so now I have soffit vents for my whirlybirds,” which she has on top of her home, those self-turning things.
Charlie:
Shouldn’t she just get rid, if they’re going to go in for a penny, go in for a pound, and get rid of the whirlybirds and put a ridge vent up there?
Tom:
Well see I wouldn’t even do that because her electric bill is so low now, when the new roof comes in. Let’s say it’s roofing time, they’ll go to Ideal Roofing, then it’s going to be ridge vents, they’ll add a little soffit vent, it’ll keep the brand new roof looking better, it’ll get the moisture out, but to go spend, I don’t know what kind of money for eight soffit vents, the reality is in the practical way she’s right, what good is it going to do her? Not much.
Charlie:
At all.
Tom:
I know, I’m sorry. She’s right and I like that.