Attic Is Cold In An Old House

Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

Attic is cold in an old house.

This answer will vary from old house to old house. Your actual living space is sealed and insulated at the attic floor the attic is outside this envelope. The majority of heat loss and gain occurs in your attic. Due to your attic s location at the top of your house it can be a major location for energy loss especially if you lack sufficient insulation.

The insulation must meet doe standards. A ridge and soffit ventilation system an extra 200 during reroofing will reduce attic temperature to around 100 degrees. If you have an unfinished and unconditioned attic like many old houses my first recommendation would be to add batt insulation on the underside of the roof. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old.

As mentioned most heat loss is typically through the roof. Don t avoid ventilating your attic for fear you re letting cold air into the house. When reroofing use white or pale gray shingles instead of dark ones. Don t avoid ventilating your attic for fear you re letting cold air into the house.

The insulation materials used in older houses are not as effective in keeping heat in as the new ones. The attic is often the easiest place to add insulation. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Your actual living space is sealed and insulated at the attic floor the attic is outside this envelope.

If there are asphalt shingles on your roof the attic must be ventilated to comply with the terms of the manufacturer s warranty. Gable vents around 25 each plus 75 per vent for labor can lower attic temperatures about 10 degrees. Since warm air has a tendency to rise and cool air to fall insulating the attic is the place to start. If there are asphalt shingles on your roof the attic must be ventilated to comply with the terms of the manufacturer s warranty.

Read more about the 3 types of heat here. The exfiltration of warm interior air through your attic and the infiltration of cold outside air through your basement or crawl space could be to blame. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates. Even if you bought the house with insulation already installed into it it s best to double check.

By chris deziel it may seem incongruous to allow cold air into your attic in the middle of winter but attic venting is an important climatic control that protects your house from moisture rot and. If the attic is unfinished the insulation should be installed on the floor.