How Much Attic Air Leakage Should I Have

Locating air leaks in the attic.

How much attic air leakage should i have.

Your ventilation system should extract warm air from the attic and replace it with cool dry air via a soffit. A home energy company has proposed a solution that involves sealing air leaks in the bedroom ceilings attic floor sealing around the chimney weatherizing the attic hatch insulating a few roof areas that the builders missed and adding cellulose to the rest of the attic to bring it up to r 60. Do i have a roof leak or attic condensation. These areas usually have open stud cavities leading directly into the attic that are huge sources of air leaks photos 1 3.

Drafts are typically found around windows and doors and while these drafts should be fixed immediately these are not the most substantial air leaks. In order to facilitate this exchange of warm and cool air the general rule of thumb suggests installing at least 1 sq. They claim that their work should lower our. Before you crawl into the attic make a quick sketch of the floor plan.

You need to make sure that ductwork is properly sealed to prevent moisture build up in the attic. Without exception you should talk to a professional to determine what your home requires. Energy star states that the most significant air leaks are often hidden in the attic below the insulation. Most people consider air leaks to be drafts.

Air leaks also commonly occur at the edge of top plates which normally have a small gap of less than an inch between the plates and drywall. The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home. Now that you ve air sealed your attic and basement check your attic insulation levels and add more if necessary. So how much ventilation should you have.

If you have a fan pull down stairs or other fixtures in the attic they also need to be. They can disrupt the air flow through the attic when you have gable vents the airflow coming in through the soffit or overhang vents can be disrupted by cross ventilation from the gable vents. Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. Generally speaking you need a ratio of 1 300 where for every 300 square feet of ceiling space you need 1 square foot of attic ventilation.

If the system is working properly it will prevent moisture and mold. You need to insulate the attic even if you can t easily access it because it s a huge risk for air leaks and potential heat loss.