Cash In The Attic

Improving home energy savings often begins above the living space.

Cutaway view of attic in Saint Augustine

In a typical house, almost 50% of total energy use is attributable to heating and cooling, and the attic has a HUGE impact on heating and cooling efficiency.

R-value, infiltration, radiant barriers, ductwork, baffles, foam insulation…Do you ever get the feeling that energy savings is over your head?

Well, it probably is, no matter how much you know about the way houses use and lose energy. The attic of any house is certain to be a major target in terms of energy-saving improvements.

Understanding what goes on in the attic will help you appreciate what an experienced professional crew can accomplish to improve energy performance, comfort and savings, while also making your house healthier and more eco-friendly.

Stopping attic air leakage minimizes the Stack Effect

More exfiltration (interior air leaking outside) occurs through the attic than anywhere else in the house. This isn't surprising when you consider how many leakage points there are into the attic and how warm air always wants to rise. The warmest air in the house will always be at the top of the living space.

When this warm interior air leaks out through cracks, gaps and openings near the top of the house, a similar volume of outside air needs to leak in, to avoid causing a vacuum. Exfiltration through the attic, combined with infiltration through lower parts of the house is called the Stack Effect, and it's a powerful factor in poor energy performance. By creating a more effective attic air barrier, we can minimize the stack effect and start saving energy on heating and cooling.

Most homes require additional attic insulation. The minimal levels of attic insulation required by local building codes aren't considered adequate today because of rising energy costs and increasing concern about the environmental damage caused by fossil fuel consumption.

If the attic in your house is insulated with fiberglass batts (many are), there's a good chance that this insulation can stay in place beneath a deeper layer of new insulation. Blow-in fiberglass and cellulose insulation are usually the best choices when it comes to installing new attic insulation.

Unlike fiberglass batt insulation, which must be brought through the house and put into place by hand, blow-in insulation can be installed faster, more uniformly and with less traffic through the house.

Start Saving Energy and Money With An Attic Upgrade.

Call 1-888-370-6924 or contact us online to schedule a whole-house energy audit.

Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.