Abstract
Research literature and articles from professional magazines have been surveyed and reviewed with the aim of outlining the early history of attic ventilation between 1930-1952. In addition, the question of the earliest use by the asphalt shingle industry of venting requirements has been addressed. The findings of this survey are review include the following: Tyler S. Rogers introduced the "condenstaion control" paradigm to the architecture press in early 1938. The paradigm was based on work under way at the U.S.Forest Products Lab and on work recently funded by the National Mineral Wood Association under the direction of Frank Rowley at the University of Minnesota. The original 1938 Rogers article contained suggestions that the nascent insulation industry should be protected against claims of moisture damage. The two principal recommendations for moisture control under this paradigm were vapor barriers and attic ventilation. By 1952, when Rogers wsa in the employ of Owens-Corning Fiberglas, he more strongly stated that his effort at developing a condensation-control understanding was to defend the insulation industry. The attic ventilation ratio 1/300 is an arbitrary number selected by the writers of FHA (1942) with no citations or references. One might speculate that it is based on Rowley's 1939 research, which showed a slight performance difference between openings with vent ratios 1/288 and 1/576. However, other evidence indicates it was not based on Rowley. The asphalt shingle industry began to link insulation practices to recommend and code-required venting practices in the mid 1980s.
Research literature and articles from professional magazines have been surveyed and reviewed with the aim of outlining the early history of attic ventilation between 1930-1952. In addition, the question of the earliest use by the asphalt shingle industry of venting requirements has been addressed. The findings of this survey are review include the following: Tyler S. Rogers introduced the "condenstaion control" paradigm to the architecture press in early 1938. The paradigm was based on work under way at the U.S.Forest Products Lab and on work recently funded by the National Mineral Wood Association under the direction of Frank Rowley at the University of Minnesota. The original 1938 Rogers article contained suggestions that the nascent insulation industry should be protected against claims of moisture damage. The two principal recommendations for moisture control under this paradigm were vapor barriers and attic ventilation. By 1952, when Rogers wsa in the employ of Owens-Corning Fiberglas, he more strongly stated that his effort at developing a condensation-control understanding was to defend the insulation industry. The attic ventilation ratio 1/300 is an arbitrary number selected by the writers of FHA (1942) with no citations or references. One might speculate that it is based on Rowley's 1939 research, which showed a slight performance difference between openings with vent ratios 1/288 and 1/576. However, other evidence indicates it was not based on Rowley. The asphalt shingle industry began to link insulation practices to recommend and code-required venting practices in the mid 1980s.
Date
9/2002
9/2002
Author(s)
William Rose
William Rose
Page(s)
Keyword(s)
ventilation; moisture control; shingle durability; history
ventilation; moisture control; shingle durability; history