Hot upstairs rooms, mystery mold on sheathing, ice dams in the north, and summer power bills that hurt — 90% of the time it's ventilation, not insulation, and the fix is a $600 vent balance job, not a $6,000 mini-split. NFA math, intake vs exhaust balance, and the short-circuiting mistake most installers make.
NFA (Net Free Area) math against your actual attic square footage
Intake vs exhaust ratio audit and airflow-path scoring
Short-circuit diagnosis (mixed ridge + gable, powered + passive)
Sheathing moisture and staining survey — where condensation lives
Bathroom, dryer, and range-hood termination check (must exit outside, not into attic)
Written scope: added intake, exhaust swap, baffle install, or vapor barrier
Full attic walk with NFA calculation against your attic floor area (1:150 uncovered / 1:300 with vapor barrier). Current intake vs exhaust vent inventory and NFA-adjusted balance scoring. Airflow-path diagnosis for short-circuiting (ridge + gable combos, powered + passive combos). Sheathing moisture and staining survey — condensation trails, frost lines, rust on nail tips. Bathroom fan, dryer vent, and range hood termination check — every one must exit the building, not dump into the attic. Insulation baffle audit at eaves — most attics have soffit vents choked by blown-in insulation with no baffles. Written scope with parts list and NFA targets: add intake, swap exhaust, install baffles, or add vapor barrier.
NM homeowners with hot upstairs rooms, high summer AC bills, or ice dams (northern NM). Owners with mystery mold or dark staining on attic sheathing. Owners whose bathroom or dryer vents terminate in the attic (extremely common in older ABQ homes). Buyers under contract on homes with ventilation red flags. Owners planning a re-roof who want ventilation corrected during the tear-off (cheapest time to fix).
Verbal Walk — $149 Standard Ventilation Report — $399 Detailed w/ NFA Math + Airflow Diagnosis + Written Fix Scope — $549 Bundle with Re-Roof Bid Review — $199 add-on Most ventilation inspections are $399–$549. A $600 vent-balance job that eliminates a $6,000 mini-split purchase pays for itself the first summer.
Almost always. NM attics hit 160°F+ in summer with bad ventilation, and that heat radiates straight into the top-floor ceiling. Adequate intake+exhaust drops attic temp 30–50°F and can save $60–$120/month in AC. I measure current airflow and calculate what you actually need.
Net Free Area — the actual opening in a vent after you subtract screens and louvers. Code requires 1 sqft of NFA per 150 sqft of attic floor (1:150), or 1:300 with a vapor barrier. Most homes I inspect are 40–60% short, and the vents that ARE installed are often the wrong mix — all exhaust, no intake, which short-circuits airflow.
Usually bad. Mixed exhaust types short-circuit each other: air enters the closest gable vent, exits the ridge, and never reaches the far end of the attic. Pick one exhaust type and pair it with adequate soffit (intake). I map your current mix and score the airflow path.
Signed 2/3/5-year cert for lenders & insurers.
FLIR moisture scan + core verification.
Vigas, canales, parapet caps — NM specialty.
Manufacturer + workmanship defect audit.
I've watched too many neighbors sign contracts they didn't understand for roofs they didn't need. That stops with a written report they own.