Attic Air Leaks

A large fan at the front door will pull air out of an otherwise closed up house creating drafts from leaks that are much easier to detect than the typical slow.

Attic air leaks.

Here s how to locate the leak spots and plug them without spending a lot of money. Attic insulation air sealing experts enjoy a more comfortable healthy and efficient home with quality attic insulation services. Chances are your ceiling has the equivalent of a 2 ft. By air sealing in your attic you can stop many major air leaks and help to maintain the desired temperature throughout your home.

Air seal your attic for energy savings. Most people just add insulation to their attic this will not stop the escaping warm air. Combined with attic insulation air sealing can help to alleviate the formation of dangerous ice dams in the winter. With these systems condensate leaks can lead to a big mess but it s nothing compared to a condensate leak that occurs at an air conditioner in an attic or really any place that has finished.

The attic is usually where you can find some of the largest opportunities to save energy in your home. Don t worry too much about the small leaks. You want to be paying attention to the big ones. Finding air leaks can be time consuming but there are some tricks that will not only speed up the job but make the inspection much more accurate.

Before you start adding any attic insulation you want to make sure that all or most air leaks have been sealed first. Adding attic ventilation without ensuring that there is a solid air barrier between the attic and the living space will make air and heat from the house leak out faster because the attic will be colder in the winter and the rate at which air leaves the building will increase. Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. The first spot to check is where the floors meet the wall.

A quarter inch gap around pull down attic stairs or an attic hatch leaks the same amount of air as a bedroom heating duct. 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. Or you can buy a pre insulated hatch cover kit for about 150. Seal attic air leaks first.

Without air sealing your attic you are allowing warm air to escape from your home carrying with it your hard earned winter heating money. Seal it by caulking between the hatch frame and the rough opening or by installing foam weatherstripping around the perimeter of the hatch opening. Small air leaks into uninsulated attic space are a major source of heat loss in many homes.