Attic Encapsulation

“Shut the door! Im not paying to cool the neighborhood!” who has heard that line before? Yes leaving the door open is an obvious way to let conditioned or cooled air escape our home but there are hundreds of other smaller places air might be escaping.  

We are taught to add insulation to our attics. Now we are learning the importance of air sealing.To invest in inches of insulation but not air seal we are still throwing away hard earned dollars.

Sealing air leaks around your home and adding insulation can help your home be more comfortable and energy efficient and can save up to 10% on your home’s energy bills

Symptoms of Air Leaks:

High utility bills

Drafty windows and doors

Hot or cold rooms

Lack of insulation

Our homes work like a large vacuum, they breath from the bottom and up through the top. Our attics are a main source of energy loss.

In the winter, convection causes warm air to rise, bringing the warm air into the ceiling. Heat is then convected through the ceiling to the attic, which then escapes through the attic resulting in heat loss.

During the summer, the hot sun radiates heat to the room which then radiates to the ceiling. Heat is then conducted through the ceiling and radiated into the home. This brings rooms to uncomfortable temperatures and causes your HVAC system to work harder to cool off your home. (Ever wonder why the upstairs of a house was always hotter than the rest? This is why).

Encapsulate the attic by air sealing and insulating at the same time! Keep your home comfortable and give your air conditioner and energy bills a break.

If you can see sunlight through small holes or gaps, air is leaking there as well. Holes that were drilled for wiring or lights allow for air to escape. Those areas should be sealed to prevent air passing through. Can lights in the ceiling are notorious for air leaks. Insulated covers are great for fire safety and insulation purposes.

How you encapsulate your attic depends on the needs of your home. If you need to control the air in the attic or if you only need to control the air in the home below the attic. If your HVAC or duct work is in your attic you need to encapsulate the entire attic, or if you plan to use it for more storage space! Homes that do not need to worry about those things there's no need to control the air in the attic so encapsulating the attic roof is enough and the right way to do it.