Let’s talk about something important but yet neglected in your home – the attic. You might not visit it often, but it plays a big role in keeping your house happy and healthy.
Your attic, when operating correctly, will reduce moisture due to the natural stack effect homes have. The stack effect pulls warm air from the home into the attic where if not vented properly can condense into moisture. But sometimes, things can go wrong, and your attic needs help.
What’s an Attic?
First things first, what’s an attic? Simply enough, it’s an empty space on top of your house. Now, this area needs to breathe, just like we do. And does it do this? Through special holes called vents. The most common vents are soffit, ridge, static and gable. There are others, but these are the common ones. Having enough vents is crucial for proper air movement.
Blocked Vents = Trouble
Imagine if you wore a hat that covered your eyes and ears. You wouldn’t see or hear well, right? The same happens to your attic when its vents get blocked. They can’t do their job properly. Blocked vents = no air movement.
The Trouble-Makers: Mold and Moisture
Blocked vents create a perfect hideout for two trouble-makers – mold and moisture. They love to sneak into your attic and cause problems. And this can be an expensive issue to correct.
Bathroom vent fan ducts or dryer vents that terminate in the attic dump excessive amounts of moisture into the attic.
Unsealed electrical fixtures like recess lighting and ceiling fans will leak air from the home to the attic bring warm air to the cold attic.
The featured photo shows an attic we inspected that had insulation that blocked some soffit vents resulting in moisture buildup. Due to the frigid temperatures that day, the moisture turned to frost. In those frost areas, the moisture meter read over 50%. Rot in wood can occur after 30%
Mold: The Sneaky Guest
Mold is like an uninvited guest. It loves dark, damp places. When moisture builds up in your attic, mold starts throwing a party. And guess what? Mold isn’t a good party guest. It can make you and your home sick.
Moisture: The Tricky Trouble-Maker
Moisture is water in the air. When it gets trapped in your attic, it can cause all sorts of issues. It can make the wood in your attic wet, like a soaked sponge. Wet wood is weak and can’t support your home as well.
How to Help Your Attic
Now that you know the problem, let’s address your attic needs.
- Check Those Vents: Make sure the vents in your attic are clear and not blocked by stuff like old boxes or spider webs. Perhaps additional venting is needed to circulate more air.
- Storage: Try to remove (or greatly reduce) the amount of storage you have in your attic.
- Fix Leaks: If you find any leaks, fix them. Leaks are like gaps or holes that let moisture sneak in.
- Hire a professional If you see mold or big problems, it’s time to call in the pros. They’ll know what to do like adding more venting, cleaning up the mold and adding more insulation.
By helping your attic stay dry and happy, you’re keeping your entire home healthy and strong.