Attics and crawl spaces aren’t given much thought until they’re needed for storage or cleaning. These areas of the home are out of sight and, hence, out of mind.
Aside from performing the occasional dusting or insulation replacement, why else would you give a second thought to what’s going on in your attic?
The reality is that attics and crawl spaces can be big-time energy sinks. If your attic is not adequately ventilated, you could be paying a lot more than you need to in order to heat and cool your home. Unventilated attics can even be the source of exterior damage to your home.
Who would have thought?
Why Uncirculated Air Causes Problems
At A-to-Z Roofing and Exteriors, we take a ‘whole home’ approach to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. That includes paying attention to how the air is treated in the attic and any adjoining crawl spaces—areas that aren’t affected by the home’s central HVAC system.
Why is this so important? There are three main reasons.
- Cooling efficiency. When air stagnates in the attic, it remains at a constant temperature that is typically higher than the rest of the home. This pooled air is a constant source of heat, making the the AC system work harder to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. This places a burden on the air conditioner, which, in turn, results in higher cooling costs.
Ventilating the attic immediately solves this problem, and warm air pooling stops being a source of heat that radiates throughout the home. - Rooftop snow and ice management. As you already know, the attic is the only thing separating your roof from the rest of your home. So, when the air in your attic pools and hot zones form, the result is uneven snow melting on the roof. When this happens, the resulting water runoff will often refreeze near the gutters and downspouts.
The term for this is called ‘ice damming’, and it can cause significant damage when the ice expands. By ventilating your attic, snow and ice are better managed by your roof and gutter systems, making for a longer-lasting and more durable home exterior. - Allergen and dust elimination. You can probably guess the state of affairs in your attic when it comes to dust and allergens. If there isn’t any air circulation up there, there will invariably be accumulation of airborne particulate matter.
Then, when the time does come to visit the attic for whatever reason, these dust and allergen deposits are likely to dislodge and enter the airflow of the rest of the home.
Attic and crawl space ventilation helps to ensure that accumulated dust and allergens are kept to a minimum, resulting in a cleaner, more sneeze-free home.
Think about the layout of your home for just a moment. Where do the air ducts serve the numerous rooms, foyers, and other living areas of your home? Where don’t they circulate air? Wherever you have square footage that is not managed by the air ducts connected to your HVAC system, it’s worth developing a strategy for air circulation so the problems listed above are addressed.
Thankfully, this is easily achieved!
A-to-Z Roofing and Exteriors Makes Attic Ventilation Easy
Even though uncirculated attic and crawl space air can be a source of numerous problems for your home, remedying it quick and simple when you work with the residential roofing experts at A-to-Z Roofing and Exteriors.
Our ventilation experts will conduct a thorough assessment of your attic to determine where the most significant areas of air pooling currently exist. Then, we’ll identify the ideal location to install a highly efficient, zero-maintenance attic ventilator.
The entire process takes just a day or two, and you can begin enjoying the benefits of a well-ventilated attic immediately!
Here in Colorado, it’s especially important to take every possible step to keep homes energy efficient and well-protected from the elements. We experience wild swings in both temperature and precipitation throughout the year, which is why attic ventilation is so important.
If your attic is currently suffering from stagnant, pooled air, you could be paying for it in more ways than one. Take action today by scheduling an on-site visit with one of our ventilation technicians. Before you know it, you could be breathing easier and enjoying the peace of mind that comes with having well-ventilated attic and crawl spaces.
Call us right now at (303) 781-8185. We look forward to helping you breathe some fresh, much-needed air into your attic and crawl spaces, quickly and affordably!