Updated: Dec 20, 2022
Are you looking for ways to create a healthier, more energy-efficient home? Your attic can be an incredibly important part of achieving this goal. There are several simple steps that every homeowner with an attic should take to ensure their attic space is healthy and working properly. This guide will walk you through the basics of creating a healthy attic, from inspecting the space to insulating the space and even maintaining proper ventilation. It’s time to start taking control of how your home performs.
Creating a healthy attic begins with air sealing. Attic air sealing is a simple process that involves closing any gaps or holes between living spaces and the attic that allow airflow. There are numerous advantages to air sealing your home, including reduced energy costs. Without proper attic air sealing, warm or conditioned air can escape into the attic cavity and increase monthly bills. To see if your home needs an attic air seal, there are a couple of ways to reliably check, such as thermographic imaging or having a professional come out and check. No matter what method is used, it's important to ensure that your attic is properly sealed for both safety and energy efficiency reasons.
Inspecting the insulation and attic sheet for discoloration can be helpful in ensuring your attic is healthy. This can help you determine whether or not you're heating your attic in colder climates. It's also worth considering how the snow melts on your roof to further your assessment. Poor ventilation is the classic cause of ice dams, so it's important to identify and seal any gaps or openings before similar problems occur in the future. Double checking for any visible gaps, as these small issues – such as unsealed can lighting–can greatly contribute to wasted energy when left unaddressed. By taking all of these steps, you can get ahead of potential issues in your attic and prevent them from turning into a costly problems down the road.
Air Sealing is followed by installing baffles to make sure proper airflow is coming through your soffit vents and exiting through the ridge or box vents, thus preventing mold and other contaminants from entering your home. Rerouting bathroom exhaust fans to the exterior of the house is also recommended for further prevention of mold buildup in the attic. Taking these steps will create a strong foundation for insulation, which is the last step in creating a healthy attic. Insulation helps regulate temperatures within your home, keeps moisture out, and can even help lower energy bills. Installing adequate insulation in your attic will facilitate a healthier and more comfortable living environment, proving an efficient solution for attics that are often neglected and taken for granted.
Maintaining a healthy attic, is essential to preventing mold and other air quality issues, and insulating with the proper R-value of R-49 in the state of Illinois is one of the best ways to do this. It is important to make sure it is installed correctly, if you congest the soffits while installing insulation, it can cause major ventilation issues. To ensure optimal indoor air quality, it's important that thermal insulation is properly installed without blocking most of your attic's soffits.
Now that you know a few steps, to take in order to have a more efficient and healthier attic, it's time to put this knowledge into practice. If you want help from the pros, here at Healthy Homes we would be happy to give your attic the makeover it deserves. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our website for more tips on having a healthy home. How are you going to make your attic more efficient and healthy today?