Ventilation Louvres

i have roof vents on my roof already,i'm going to install an attic fan,do i need gable vents also?

i had a roof installed several years ago and had roof vents added .i had gable vents,which i had covered up because of squirrels getting in.no more squirrels but there was an odor in my home which i had checked and was told that i didn't have proper circulation and that i should invest in a attic fan.i never had eave vents on this older home so i'm assuming that the gable vents were there for circulation purposes,but i'm concerned about the squirrels getting back in my attic.thanx

Public Comments

1. Use a louvered vent with screen wire backing. That's what we have.
2. yes you should have gable vents you can buy them with heavy duty screen to keep out critters.
3. Standard roof vents-every 6ft-16 inchs down from peak; solffett vents every 4 ft cross back and on both sides; pull vents out and install wire screening.
4. If you have never had a powered vent in the attic before, then you need to know how much cubic feet per minute (CFM) the fan your buying is rated at. It'll say right on the box. There is a formula that tells you how many square inches of vent space you need to match up to the fan CFM. If you don't have enough vent opening in the attic, then it will start to suck the air from inside the house, and that's not good. Sorry, it's been a long time since I saw/used that formula, but check @ the home repair store in your area. Or maybe go to HGTV website and search for that.
5. I doubt the attic fan will help you at all. If the Odor is not coming from the living areas, then it must be mold in the walls, or under the house. Put in the attic fan if you want it, but I would install vents along the eve of the house. The vent covers are cheap, and varmints can't attack them like they can gable vents. If you have a crawl space, I would check for moisture under the house. Old plumbing will corrode. You could have a small water leak that is causing mold that is causing the smell. I would buy a dehumidifier.
6. The instructions with exhaust fan will tell you how much free space you need for incoming air. If there is not enough air entering attic space then it will not do the intended exhausting or venting.