baffles in rafter bays dedicate pathways for cooler air to enter soffit ventilation areas. why builders mix ventilation strategies in attics, I'll never know or understand. there are three methods of venting attics, each are stand alone methods. not mix and match. gable end venting. soffit and ridge venting soffit and passive vents some areas are outlawing pav's, with good reason. Georgia is the latest to do so..see article below. as pav's pull hot air out of attic, they also pull cool air from duct leaks & from holes in floor of attic from conditioned space below. do they cool off the attic..you bet ya. by robbing conditioned air that you pay to cool. pav's..never a good idea for the person who lives in the house & pays the bills. undoubtably unvented attics benefit hurricane areas more thatn vented attics. putting insulation on the roofline puts ducts & equipment in semiconditioned space, and minimizes problems caused by holes in air barrier at attic floor. but for those who don't go that route, proper attic ventilation is important. just as important is sealing holes in attic floor. ICAT recessed cans, sealed supply boxes that penetrate attic floor, sealing oversized cuts at bath vent fans and so on. insulation doesn't work when air moves through it. creating an air tight barrier between attic and living space is crucial. Georgia Pulls the Attic-Ventilator Plug "The state residential code allows only solar-powered versions; plug-in powered attic ventilators will no longer be allowed Posted on Aug 31 2011 by Richard Defendorf Building science target. The money that would have been spent purchasing and installing one of these attic fans could pay for a more cost-effective upgrade, which would include more ceiling insulation and proper air sealing. Attic ventilator fans have taken a whupping in the court of building science, played starring roles on useless-products lists, and gotten roughed up in the comments sections of blogs. Now they�re gadget non grata in Georgia�s supplement to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. Actually, as energy consultant and Energy Vanguard blogger Allison Bailes points out, that particular part of Georgia's code supplement contains a loophole. In its list of mandatory "Systems" requirements, Georgia allows solar-powered attic ventilators, but attic ventilators designed to use grid power "shall not be connected to the electric grid." In other words, you can have one, as long as it's not plugged in. Dealing with the heat Despite the compromise, the rap on attic ventilators is now anchored in code. Promoters of these machines say the devices help cool attics by exhausting hot air to the outside. However, attic-fan critics say the fans often draw makeup air from a home's interior. During the summer, there's obviously a major energy penalty if your attic fan is pulling air-conditioned indoor air from the living space into the attic through leaks in the ceiling. Frequently cited research results from a study conducted in 1993 and one conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center show that attic exhaust fans also can depressurize the living area to the extent they create potentially hazardous backdrafting conditions, particularly in homes with atmospherically vented gas appliances. Energy consultants like Bailes and building scientists from FSEC and the Building Science Corporation suggest that, for most homes, the most cost-effective and safe approach to address high heat in attics is to perform air-sealing work at the ceiling and to insulate deeply. " best of luck.

For the past posters that said that the vents are not constructed properly I don't think you fully understand the circumstances such as high winds, size of the snow particles and direction that the vents are facing.. In a windy location such as Wisconsin near lake Michigan the fine snow that rests on the roof can get whipped up and blow about like a mini blizzard. This snow can blow into the vents and settle I solved this issue very easily and quickly. as you can see in the pictures the vent is constructed correctly with screen and mesh but this fine snow can still make it's way into your attic. The product below is a big upgrade on the cheap fiberglass filters that some have suggested and still maintains air circulation that is important. I purchased the product you see in the second picture at home depot for about $8 it's a 24 in. x 36 in. x 1 in. Cut-To-Fit made by Natural Aire. You can cut this material with heavy shears or a razor knife to create any size. It is springy, almost rigid and needs no frame for support. Just cut a bit larger that the framed opening and push it in to install. Took me less than 5 minutes.

Thank you, Joy! So kind of you to say. I also have never been a fan of Mansard roofs (unless I am at the Louvre!) but we wanted tall ceilings on the top floor (with no pitch) and didn't want to go ultra contemporary, so by adding more elegance and style to the house...I am able to enjoy the look of it much more. We did want more curve in the corners but due to city variance issues we were unable to get much more out of it than this. I am excited to see how the metal canopy and the rod iron railing going up the stairs will look. I will post more pics as we progress. Definitively a labor of love this project has been!!

Kay has a point. I think since you have the mahogany doors, I would just let them stand as they are. Paint the gable trim the same color as the siding that they are in front of. Stain the porch posts like the garage doors, and maybe the front door also, if you don't have it painted already, and call it good. With the Mahogany on the exterior only, it will give warmth and color to your landscape too, and your house.. Than let your Jacobean shine inside. Painting the trim in the eaves light gray, will be easier to maintain than staining so high off the ground in years to come. Your home will be lovely, and that way your Mahogany makes a statement at the entrances of the home, and it will make your home very special..