Common Attic Air Leaks

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

Common attic air leaks.

Property mothers you probably think of your ceilings as solid surfaces but the truth is that ceilings leak air into unfinished attic spaces through gaps and openings such as around pipes and lighting fixtures. Common household air leaks behind kneewalls attic hatch wiring holes plumbing vent open soffit the box that hides the recessed lights recessed light furnace flue or duct chaseway the hollow box or wall feature that hides ducts basement rim joists where the foundation meets the wood framing. Long piece from a batt of unfaced fiberglass insulation and fold it at the bottom of a 13 gallon. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.

Electrical outlets pipes and light fixtures are examples of where you ll find air leaks. Air sealing the attic perimeter. This air leaks into your attic space and never reaches your living area which may lead to you adjusting your temperature. Drafts are typically found around windows and doors and while these drafts should be fixed immediately these are not the most substantial air leaks.

Common attic air leaks include. Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. Air leaks also commonly occur at the edge of top plates which normally have a small gap of less than an inch between the plates and drywall. As the warm air rises through air leaks in your ceiling it carries dust which is filtered out by your insulation.

If the insulation is black and dirty you know you ve definitely found an air leak. Behind kneewalls attic hatch wiring holes plumbing vents open soffit box for recessed lights recessed light furnace flue or duct chaseways windows and doors. Leaking air ducts can lead to a significant loss of heated and cooled air. Locating air leaks in the attic most people consider air leaks to be drafts.

Leaving behind a black or brown stain like the one in this video. Energy star states that the most significant air leaks are often hidden in the attic below the insulation. Plug open stud cavities. Air leaks out at places where the builder didn t seal such as around the tops of walls near the ceiling through and around leaky top plates around attic hatches through dropped soffits above cabinets around recessed lights and around chimneys.

Wrap insulation in plastic.