My Attic Gets Hot In The Summer

During the summer heat a poorly insulated attic will allow heat into your home.

My attic gets hot in the summer.

Not only will the attic heat up but if the floor of your attic isn t insulated properly that heat will come right into your home. It will help to keep the attic much cooler in the summertime. Having a properly vented attic is the best way to keep attic cool because it allows the hot air to escape during the summer. Though most newer homes have extensive vapor barriers to keep living space moisture from getting into the attic leakage around recessed light fixtures and bathroom vents still allow some moisture to enter the attic.

Poor insulation is usually the culprit although if you enter the attic on sunny winter day your attic space can be warmed by the sun more than your furnace. If the joints in your ductwork are not properly sealed your forced air system can suck attic air into the ducts air that s either really hot in the summer or really cold in the winter. And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature. Ventilation is important to give moisture within the attic a way to escape.

Your air conditioner will have to work harder to keep your home cool which means higher energy costs for you. Not the overabundance but the lack of insulation in the attic. In addition hot air in your attic could increase moisture levels which could result in wood rot and mold growth. If you re designing and building a new home keeping an unconditioned attic cooler in summer is pretty much irrelevant.

Using insulation only keeps the attic s heat from traveling through your home. If hot air is allowed to sit in your attic it could overheat the shingles on your roof and cause damage. Unless your roofing system has insulation on the roofing deck and is designed without ventilation your furnace should not be heating your attic. Hang pencil and paper next to the thermometer and record the outdoor and attic temperatures.

Another reason your attic is so hot is because of insulation. The thermostat will usually start at 95 degrees fahrenheit which is the temperature that the attic fan usually starts at. Within the attic insulation is a must. Just make sure the ceiling is airtight and fully insulated and the temperature in the attic doesn t matter much.

Hang an outdoor thermometer in your attic making sure its range reaches at least 130 degrees fahrenheit. An overheated attic can bake asphalt shingles on the roof and cause them to deteriorate.