Air Sealed Attic
The benefits of air sealing your attic are plentiful and in this post we will highlight the top three advantages for the homeowner and inhabitants.
Air sealed attic. For fuel burning appliances such as your furnace some amount of fresh air inside the home. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Without air sealing your attic you are allowing warm air to escape from your home carrying with it your hard earned winter heating money. Once this air sealing work is done you may want to add more insulation to your attic floor.
Attic hatch covers are easy to install and help keep the air in the attic separate from the air throughout the rest of the home. Most people just add insulation to their attic this will not stop the escaping warm air. The easiest way to find air leaks is with a blower door. In some cases a theatrical fog machine is also very useful.
The insulating material helps reduce heat transfer between the floor below and the attic. In cold weather you may see frosty areas in the insulation caused by warm moist air condensing and freezing as it hits the cold attic air. In warmer weather you ll find water staining in these same areas. Even though most of the gaps spilling warm air into your attic are buried in insulation you ll still see evidence of the escaping air.
The attic is prone to holes and cracks at its access points. Combined with attic insulation air sealing can help to alleviate the formation of dangerous ice dams in the winter. By air sealing in your attic you can stop many major air leaks and help to maintain the desired temperature throughout your home. If you are not a do it yourself type of.
If you want to add insulation remember that air leaks have to be sealed first. It will help keep the warm air from escaping your home in the winter and the hot air outside in the summer. The cellulose insulation and air sealing materials work together to create a boundary between your living space and attic. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.
Attic space insufficient attic insulation poor air sealing and uninsulated ductwork are all common problems that will lead to uncomfortable rooms and make your home less efficient. Air sealed attic for energy effieciency the benefits of air sealing your attic once the old insulation is removed the next step is to air seal your attic making it as tight as possible. There are four basic steps to sealing attic air leaks. While in your attic look for areas where the insulation is darkened see photo a result of filtering dusty air from the house.
Air seal your attic for energy savings. Once installed the attic access cover creates a tight seal around the hatch.