intake ventilation

A homeowner posted a question on a building science forum about attic ventilation, and it's worth knowing about if you're considering something similar. They want to add roof-mounted intake vents (edge vents, which sit along the lower edge of the roof rather than under a soffit) on a house in a cold climate zone with a low roof pitch and no existing soffit venting. Their concern: will these intake vents still work if they get buried in snow, with a ridge vent handling the exhaust side of the attic ventilation system?

As of this posting, no answers had been given yet. The question itself is a useful reminder for anyone with a low-slope roof and no soffit vents in a snowy climate: attic ventilation depends on airflow moving from low intake vents up to a high exhaust vent (typically at the ridge), and if snow covers the intake points, that airflow can stall. This matters because proper attic ventilation helps prevent moisture buildup, ice dams, and roof damage over time.

If your own house has a similar setup — low roof pitch, no soffit vents, and heavy snow in winter — this is a detail worth understanding before installing edge vents, since snow cover could affect how well the system performs during the coldest, snowiest stretches of the year. Check back on this discussion, or ask a similar question in a building science forum, if you want to see what intake ventilation options work best for your specific roof and climate.