Home technician professional building new attic ventilation system

For many homeowners, their attic isn’t a place they think about often. At best, it’s a place to shove holiday decorations and outgrown clothes until someone needs them.

It’s not surprising, then, that homeowners don’t think about the air circulation and ventilation in their attic. If it’s rare for anyone in the family to go up there, why worry about whether the air is moving?

The truth is, poor air ventilation can cost you comfort, money, and damage to your belongings. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have proper attic ventilation and to keep it maintained through the years.

How Does Hot Air Get to Your Attic?

Hot air is lighter than cool air. As a result, it rises as high as it’s able to rise. If you picture your house, the highest point is most likely your roof. Since your roof is designed to keep the weather out of your home, it’s pretty good at stopping most of the air that floats up to it.

The air in your home gets hot in several different ways. Sun from the windows, warm air coming in from outside, and the heat from cooking, electronics, and showers all work together to warm the air. As it warms, it rises. Some air collects under the ceilings in each of your rooms, but more continues up to collect under your roof in your attic.

Why is Attic Ventilation Important?

In terms of comfort, having the heat go up to your attic sounds good at first. At least it’s not down where you live, right? The problem is that poor attic ventilation causes hot air to stop under your roof. As more hot air goes upward, it stacks below the air that’s already there. Once all the attic air is heated, the rooms below it begin to feel the heat, as well.

In terms of cost, the extra heat that’s trapped inside your house forces your air conditioning system to work harder. As a result, your energy bill is higher than it should be.

All the extra heat and lack of air movement in the attic can indirectly cause structural issues, adding to your costs over time. Lack of attic ventilation can lead to problems such as:

  • Excess moisture that creates the perfect environment for mold and wood rot.
  • Expansion and contraction of wood that damages your subroof and shingles.
  • Ice dams in the winter that can cause water damage when they melt.
  • The cost of having to fix an unventilated attic.

Proper attic ventilation not only adds comfort to your everyday life in your home, but it also helps to retain your home’s value and the investment that you’ve made into it. This will especially prove to be beneficial if you ever find yourself in the process of selling your home.


Working with Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement

Attic Ventilation by Jersey Shore Crawlspace

The good news is that these problems can be avoided by fixing the ventilation issues in your attic. Correctly placed vents release hot air through the roofline while cooler air comes into the attic through the soffits. An attic fan can go a long way toward keeping air flowing properly.

While attic ventilation isn’t complicated, it’s much easier when you have experienced installers who know the best places to install what’s needed. Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement Specialists have been fixing problems with attics and crawlspaces for over 20 years. We know how to do the job quickly and correctly the first time. Give us a call so we can schedule an evaluation to get your attic’s air flowing the way it should be.

Click the button below to speak to a representative or complete the form at the bottom of the page and a Jersey Shore Crawlspace representative will be in touch with you shortly.