Do attic fans really work.
Attic ventilation problems.
Attic fans do cool down a house in less than an hour.
Improperly installed attic ventilation cannot address two important aspects of indoor comfort.
Common attic problems include pest infestation mold growth and the problem of excessive moisture which spoils items appliances and systems in attics.
Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.
Here are some subtle and some not so subtle things to watch out for.
An unexplained uptick in your household heating and cooling bills which can happen if your attic insulation gets wet and loses its effectiveness.
Primarily because winter can cause moisture that stems from warm moist air infiltrating into the attic space from the occupied areas in the home and summer can bring in warm moist hair that can cause condensation.
More attic ventilation is good.
Excessive moisture not only causes the decking to sag but it also causes rust to appear in the attic.
Without proper ventilation moisture from everyday activities such as showering washing laundry and washing dishes rises to the attic and slowly collects there.
Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit you want precisely the right amount of attic ventilation for your home.
Insufficient ventilation can lead to moisture problems during the winter and decreased energy efficiency during the summer but too much ventilation can be just as bad if not worse.
An inadequate attic ventilation system can cause a variety of problems that manifest themselves in different ways.
Attic ventilation problems can be caused by a number of things.
Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.
In the winter we get calls about wet attics.
Check your attic vents.
A hot ceiling tells you that the attic is acting like a solar oven raising your cooling bills and cooking the shingles.
Both of these problems are either caused or made worse by inadequate attic ventilation.
If the vents are at floor level within the attic rather than higher up the wall make sure they are not covered by any insulation.
An extractor fan is another way to ventilate your attic.
The attic ventilation can ultimately reduce condensation that may build up in the attic during winter and summer months.
Warm air that escapes rooms below gets trapped in the attic.
In the summer we get calls about hot attics.
Touch your ceiling on a warm sunny day.
Thick ridges of ice on your eaves in winter are a sign of poor attic ventilation.
A lack of intake ventilation is one of the biggest items.
Snow melts and the water refreezes on the cold eaves creating ice dams.
This can lead to a number of serious and expensive problems.
Soffit vents blocked by insulation is a common problem.
Poor roof ventilation tends to trap moisture and hot air inside the attic resulting in the deterioration of the roof decking as well as the shingles and the underlayment.
