Reasons My Home Needs More Attic Ventilation
For many people, the attic is an area where they store old family photos, clothes, holiday decorations, and luggage. However, for energy researchers, it’s much more than that. In fact, over the past 30 years, building codes have been put in place requiring more attic insulation.
And, most professionals will tell you that when your attic is well-ventilated, your house stays much more comfortable during the summer months and stays protected from moisture buildup during the winter from heated air. Not to mention, proper attic ventilation (and roof ventilation) extends the life of your roof’s shingles, prevents ice dams and roof rot, and reduces your cooling bill. Below are other reasons why your home needs more attic ventilation.
Removing Moisture
As the temperature outside drops, we fill our homes up with added heat and moisture. You may notice this “added moisture” by taking a look at the condensation that builds up on your windows. Colder air during the winter comes into your home through your basement and rises to your attic. And, just as moisture is drawn to your windows, it’s also drawn to cold surfaces in your attic, which can cause mold and rot. Attic ventilation helps this moisture escape your attic before it can cause mildew, mold, rot and other issues.
Prevents Ice Dams and Keeps Attic Cool
You might think it’s silly to install extra insulation to keep your attic warm and then turn around and allow colder air to come through the vents of your attic. However, this combination is what makes your home energy-efficient and durable. This is because during the wintertime, when you keep your attic a little cooler by letting in outdoor air, it reduces the risk of ice dams forming, which happens when your attic is too warm and causes snow to melt off your roof and then refreeze at your gutters.
With proper air sealing and insulation, you can keep your attic cold in the wintertime and block out the moist, heated air from below. The natural flow of air in the summertime in your attic that is well-ventilated moves the extreme heat out of your attic which removes moisture and protects your roof shingles.
A great way to ventilate your attic properly is by installing an attic fan. This type of fan will cool down your hot attic since it draws in the outdoor cooler air from the vents in your attic and pushes out the hotter air to the outdoors. Just keep in mind that if your soffit vents in your attic are blocked and you don’t seal off your attic properly from your home, the attic fan can actually suck up your cooler air conditioned air from your home into the attic making your AC unit work harder and increasing your utility bill. Therefore, be sure you properly seal up your attic and ensure soffit vents are not blocked before you run your attic fan for the best possible results.
Contact us here at Whole House Fan should you have any questions about purchasing or installing an attic fan. 1-661-775-5979