Are All Attics Vented

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.

Are all attics vented.

Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool air to enter the attic. 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. 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. The model building codes allow both vented and unvented roof assemblies.

The energy needed for air conditioning and heating typically goes up 10 when ducts are in the attic ueno 2003. 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. Attics or roofs can be designed and constructed to be either vented or unvented in any hygro thermal zone map 1. However spurred by recent claims of energy savings and moisture control unvented attics have become popular in both residential and commercial applications.

Each home is unique carrying challenges and structural requirements to match. Attic ventilation myths that are off the charts 1. See the benefits of attic ventilation a new roof is more than just shingles. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

To get down to brass tacks the question becomes less about should you and more about how much you need. Too many people believe the importance of roof ventilation is to increase energy. More attic ventilation is good. Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit you want precisely.

But when it comes down to it it can get a little complicated. Vented attic it is exposed to extremes of hot and cold. 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. For decades designers of attics and crawl spaces have used cross ventilation to minimize the potential for moisture accumulation and condensation.

Most homeowners and builders believe that attics should be vented. 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. Furthermore leaky ducts can lose as much as 20 of conditioned air flow to the attic bsc 2009. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape.