The attic is a space in the home that many people don’t think about too much. With the exception of the homeowner that has converted the attic space into an additional bedroom, most attics are relegated to makeshift storage areas. Because of this, most people barely remember that their attic exists. However, the attic is an important part of your Baltimore-area home in terms of how energy efficient it is. An attic that is not energy efficient can lead to a huge amount of energy loss, which can end up costing a substantial amount of money over the long term. The following are a number of upgrades that you can invest in to make your attic more energy efficient:
Add Insulation
One of the most important upgrades that you can make to your home is to add attic insulation. There are a number of ways that you can do this, but the most effective tend to be either rolled insulation, which works like a carpet of sorts in that it is measured and cut to be rolled out across your attic floor, or blown-in insulation, which is applied with the use of a blowing machine and makes it easier to reach hard-to-access areas of the attic.
So how exactly does installing insulation help make your home more energy efficient? Think about the heat that your heating system produces during the colder months of the year. Because heat rises, it will go through your ceilings and into your attic if you haven’t properly insulated it. This is a waste of energy since there’s no reason to heat your attic (unless you’ve converted it into a usable living space). The heat will escape out of your home, which means that your heating system will have to continue to work in order to replace the lost heat, thereby using even more energy. Not to mention that heat that escapes into the attic can cause ice damming, which can damage your gutter system.
Seal Air Leaks
Make sure that the attic is properly sealed, especially if you’ve added insulation. Otherwise, heat can still escape into the attic via air leaks around the attic entrance. Cold air can also end up penetrating your home via those air leaks, thereby making it difficult for your heating system to maintain a steady temperature.
Add Ventilation
If you insulate your attic, you’re going to need to make sure it’s properly ventilated. Otherwise, heat will build up in your attic during the summer with nowhere to go. This can cause all kinds of issues, especially if you are using the attic as storage space. Consider installing an attic fan as well as rafter vents to help keep your attic properly ventilated.
These are a few upgrades you can make to your attic to not only improve your home’s energy efficiency, but also to help improve your home’s comfort. For information on how you can improve your attic’s energy efficiency, be sure to contact us at Park Heights Roofing today.