Are All Attics Vented

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

Are all attics vented.

Furthermore leaky ducts can lose as much as 20 of conditioned air flow to the attic bsc 2009. But when it comes down to it it can get a little complicated. Effective attic ventilation systems reduce damaging heat and moisture in your attic promote energy efficiency by helping to reduce the load on your air conditioner in the summer and also reduce the risk of ice dam formation on your roof. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool air to enter the attic.

For decades designers of attics and crawl spaces have used cross ventilation to minimize the potential for moisture accumulation and condensation. The choice of venting or not venting is a design and construction choice not a requirement determined by the physics or by the building code. Each home is unique carrying challenges and structural requirements to match. Too many people believe the importance of roof ventilation is to increase energy.

If you walk down to your local lumberyard and lean on the counter the employees and nearby customers will offer a variety of opinions about why attics need to be vented. The energy needed for air conditioning and heating typically goes up 10 when ducts are in the attic ueno 2003. There are still some circumstances where having spray foam insulation in a vented attic on the floor might be the best option for your home. More attic ventilation is good.

More than likely you currently have a vented attic because it s been the traditional way to insulate that space with cellulose or fiberglass for quite a long time. Roof vents are for warmer climates. Attic ventilation myths that are off the charts 1. To get down to brass tacks the question becomes less about should you and more about how much you need.

See the benefits of attic ventilation a new roof is more than just shingles. Most homeowners and builders believe that attics should be vented. On older houses attics may be ventilated only with louvered vents at the tops of gable ends walls although it s usually more effective to use these in conjunction with soffit vents. Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit you want precisely.

The model building codes allow both vented and unvented roof assemblies. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Vented attic it is exposed to extremes of hot and cold. Unfortunately it s highly unlikely that the statements you hear will be true.