When thinking about a whole-house approach to energy savings and comfort, homeowners might think that starting at the bottom, the foundation, and working their way up is the right approach. However, attic durability is fundamental to your home’s overall comfort and energy efficiency, so it's better to start at the top.
Ventilation is the key component to ensuring a durable attic. Why? While you might think ventilation runs counter to energy efficiency and keeping a space sealed, having a well-ventilated space is actually helpful. Here’s why:
It's fairy easy — and common — for moisture that enters the attic to become trapped, which leads to a host of problems, including a damaged roof, ineffective insulation, and increased moisture throughout the home. And moisture most often stems from problems with ventilation. When there is proper ventilation in a home, the possibility that moisture will accumulate in the space decreases. In addition, ventilation helps to keep the attic space at the right temperature year-round, effectively increasing energy efficiency.
There are five steps homeowners can take to increase the durability of an attic:
- Use flashing to weatherproof the roof, which prevents water infiltration and leaks.
- Seal the attic space to close off air leaks. It’s especially critical to seal the attic from the living spaces below, because common activities like showering and cooking can send moisture into the attic.
- Insulate the area with appropriate materials and R-value-rated insulation to create an effective barrier from the movement of heated air. In winter, you want to keep heated air inside the space. But if the attic doesn’t stop heated air from moving out of it, this movement will cause your furnace to work harder, and drive energy bills up.
- Install a ventilation system in the attic to prevent moisture buildup, which can cause widespread damage throughout the space. Ridge vents installed under the eaves help to draw air out of the attic.
- Using ridge baffles will also help to ventilate the space, typically installed at the attic rafters.
This year maintain attic durability and ensure a well-ventilated space. For help with these and other energy-efficiency projects, call Joe Behr Plumbing & Heating, Inc., HVAC experts serving Mid-Ohio.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ventilation and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
