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With longer daylight hours and mild temperatures, spring is the perfect time to inspect your attic for proper insulation. Follow these steps to make sure your attic is properly sealed and your conditioned air is not being wasted.
INSPECT ATTIC FOR DISCONNECTED OR DAMAGED DUCTS
If your home is not heating or cooling properly, your duct work could be the source of the problem. If your ducts are disconnected or damaged so that air can escape, you could be paying to condition the air in the attic. A disconnected duct is easy to spot. Ducts leaking underneath the insulation can be more difficult to find. Either way, you will need the help of an HVAC contractor, who will use mastic duct sealant. Duct tape is not the answer.
LOOK FOR LIGHT
If all doors to the attic are closed, you should still be able to see light. This confirms the proper attic ventilation is present. Light and air should travel through soffit vents, gable vents, continuous ridge vents and mushroom vents. If you do not see much light in your attic, consulting a contractor to add more vents may be necessary.
MAKE SURE BATHROOM EXHAUST FANS ARE OPERATING CORRECTLY
Bathroom exhaust fans play a critical role in maintaining the indoor air quality of the home. The fan’s primary role is to move the humid air from inside the bathroom to outside the home. Bathroom exhaust fans remove moist air and should exhaust to the outside, often through a soffit vent or eave vent hood.
ENSURE THAT INSULATION BATTING HAS NOT BEEN PULLED AWAY FROM KNEE WALLS
Over time, your attic’s insulation batting can work itself away from knee walls. During projects, insulation is often thrown aside and not replaced before completing the job. Insulation should be flush with knee walls in order for it to be most efficient.
SEAL AROUND THE ATTIC DOOR
Air can easily escape through your attic hatch door if it is not sealed properly. For those feeling very ambitious, an attic hatch door cover, shown to the right, can be constructed to better stop air flow from the attic into the home.