The Role That Your Attic Plays In Home Cooling
Having a great air conditioner is an important part of staying cool during the summer. However, if you do not have adequate insulation, your air conditioning system might not be enough. You may ignore your attic because it is out of sight and out of mind, but your home may be less comfortable because of this.
The Importance of an Insulated Attic
When your attic is not properly insulated, the conditioned air can escape from living quarters below to the attic. Also, heat can enter your home from the roof and travel downward if you do not have enough insulation to stop it. You can insulate your attic by adding various forms of insulation. One of the easiest ways to add more insulation is through blown-in insulation.
Attic Ventilation
Besides increasing your attic's insulation, you should make sure that it is properly ventilated. This will help keep moisture problems in your home under control and will also allow hot air to escape, which can also help keep your home cool. Heat tends to rise, so the attic is the perfect place to allow heat to escape.
One way to assist your air conditioner is to install heat recovery ventilators in your attic. These exchange the hot air in your attic for cold air outside. You can also install whole house ventilation that uses ductwork to exchange hot indoor air with the colder air outside.
Managing Attic Exfiltration
In addition to keeping your home cool, your attic is a place where you can force stale air out. Positive input ventilation pushes stale air out through the process of exfiltration. However, as air leaks out of your home through exfiltration, a similar amount needs to seep in to avoid creating a vacuum. Otherwise, you will experience the stack effect, which will reduce your home's energy performance. While exfiltration can occur anywhere in your home, it occurs the most often in the attic. You may need an attic barrier.
Energy Inefficiency and the Life of Your Air Conditioner
When your attic is not insulated well enough, your AC may also not last as long. It will cycle continuously while trying to lower the temperature of your home. When an AC is forced to work harder, it will use up more energy and increase your utility bills. Also, the AC will wear out more quickly, and you may need to have it replaced by an HVAC contractor
