Can i seal this?

[joshhudm]

This is the roof soffit. It has what we believe are asbestos panels nailed into im guessing the wood in the roof. Anyway as you can see there are slight gaps between the panels and i wanted to seal them and paint it so you dont see them anymore. i read somewhere that i can seal vertical gaps but nor horizontal since they are for ventilation. Well since that depends on how you stand i just want to get some ones opinion can i seal these? i do have gables for roof ventilation, thanks.

[HayZee518]

air has to get up into the attic for cross ventilation and the soffitts are the only source. so don't plug 'em.

[joshhudm]

yeah its obviously an older house so i wasnt sure if it was like that on purpose or not, thanks.

[pushkins]

Or seal them and install soffit vents.

[joshhudm]

with it most likely being asbestos im a little iffy to do that. they seem to be pretty loose, im tempted to yank them down with hopefully no breaks. What would i put there instead? Plywood?

[joshhudm]

Dont the two gables create a cross ventilation making it ok to seal those spots up?

[pushkins]

Yes the gables do create "cross' ventilation, and there is the problem, the gables vents are high up this means air goes from one vent to the other and it's not effectively pulling air up from lower in the attic space.
That's why the best ventilation system is ridge vent with soffit vents, air comes in low and exits out high, meaning a full exchange of air.

[joshhudm]

Thanks you have helped me in almost every project I haver had. You are a deity .lol