Are You Afraid of Your Attic?
Are you afraid of your attic? When was the last time you poked your head through the attic hatch, pulled those stairs down, or opened that knee-wall attic in your room upstairs? Do you even remember what you put in the attic?
Most likely — Christmas decorations and boxes from that printer you bought 3 years ago. If you haven’t looked in there for a long time, or ever; here’s a few reasons why you should overcome your fear and take a peek in your attic.
Attics are more than just a place to store holiday decorations and excess wrapping paper – they serve a vital purpose in your home, including your overall comfort. Most homes have an unconditioned attic space that is enclosed by the ceiling and roofline of the home. If these areas are not properly insulated, the occupants will more than likely experience significant discomfort in the winter and summer months. It may feel as though you are constantly sweating, experiencing unbearable heat or a constant draft and/or bone chilling shivers. Don’t be alarmed – this is normal for homes with attics with little to no insulation.
The most common attic design, the unconditioned attic, is ideally designed to facilitate hot air movement out of the home via convection, while also providing a thermal barrier from heat loss or gain into the conditioned space of the home. The attic space should be air sealed from the conditioned space to limit air infiltration and maintain occupant comfort, while also facilitating the air movement in.
If you call an energy professional, he or she will likely have an Infrared Camera that will be able to show you if you have insulation in your unconditioned attic. If the energy rater is really brave, they will get up into your attic and take a further look to see if any soiling can be identified. They will quickly be able to determine if your home is insulated and the quality of the insulation in your home.
What to do if you need to renovate your attic?
Let's say you’ve made the decision to have your attic space renovated – “out with the old and in with the new,” as they say. Once you’ve gotten your three quotes from reputable local insulation contractors, then you can make the decision on what company best suits your goals. Whoever you choose, it's important to know the exact work that the renovation team will be completing. If you have a traditional unconditioned attic with knee wall access, along with a vaulted ceiling thrown in the mix for example; the contractors should remove the existing insulation, air seal the attic and knee wall access points, and re-install the insulation to at least current local energy code minimum. These details are important to ensure that your home can maintain the comfort level that YOU want.
Additionally, if you are an owner of an older home and are looking to complete renovations on your attic space, you may want to consider having your insulation tested for asbestos. There are many older homes in the United States that contain vermiculite insulation that could be contaminated with asbestos. It is important that you test the insulation to determine if it is hazardous. If the insulation does contain asbestos, then you may qualify for the ZAI Trust and the rebates for abatement and removal of asbestos. Oftentimes, highly rated insulation and air sealing contractors complete this process for their clients.
If you finally mustered up the courage to take a look in your attic, and DID NOT like what you saw, or if you are too busy of a person and don’t have the time to look, feel free to give us at NW Energy Collaborative a call. We can guide you through the next steps, and if you are in our residential service area, provide some vetted contractor recommendations for the work.
