Attic Air Leaks

The attic is usually where you can find some of the largest opportunities to save energy in your home.

Attic air leaks.

A quarter inch gap around pull down attic stairs or an attic hatch leaks the same amount of air as a bedroom heating duct. Most people just add insulation to their attic this will not stop the escaping warm air. Seal it by caulking between the hatch frame and the rough opening or by installing foam weatherstripping around the perimeter of the hatch opening. Home comfort problems often start in the attic where poor insulation and numerous air leaks create problems for your heating and cooling system and make your home uncomfortable.

Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. Before you start adding any attic insulation you want to make sure that all or most air leaks have been sealed first. Square hole that s acting like a chimney drafting expensive heated. 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.

Attic insulation air sealing experts enjoy a more comfortable healthy and efficient home with quality attic insulation services. Seal attic air leaks first. Combined with attic insulation air sealing can help to alleviate the formation of dangerous ice dams in the winter. Or you can buy a pre insulated hatch cover kit for about 150.

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. The first spot to check is where the floors meet the wall. 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. Here s how to locate the leak spots and plug them without spending a lot of money.

Don t worry too much about the small leaks. 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. Small air leaks into uninsulated attic space are a major source of heat loss in many homes. You want to be paying attention to the big ones.

One is the use of a blower door test. Air seal your attic for energy savings. Without air sealing your attic you are allowing warm air to escape from your home carrying with it your hard earned winter heating money.