Attic Room Too Hot

An overheated attic can bake asphalt shingles on the roof and cause them to deteriorate.

Attic room too hot.

Whether it s 110 f or 130 f there s not much difference in the amount of heat flowing from the attic to the living space below. High temperatures inside your attic shorten the life span of shingles. Since attics are often under insulated poorly sealed and poorly ventilated the temperature environment can be drastically different in an attic than in the rest of the home. An unventilated attic can reach 150 degrees in the heat of summer 50 degrees higher than it should be.

Just make sure the ceiling is airtight and fully insulated and the temperature in the attic doesn t matter much. When your attic bedroom is always too hot block direct sunlight with insulated drapes and light blocking window shades. And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature. Attic ductwork leaky uninsulated ducts turn cool air warm.

Having a properly vented attic is the best way to keep attic cool because it allows the hot air to escape during the summer. Another reason your attic is so hot is because of insulation. Within the attic insulation is a must. When the air conditioner ran it sucked lots of hot attic air right into the room and the ceiling near those lights got to temperatures well above 100 f.

Darker colors are more effective at blocking heat and light. This is most notable in the case of attics. A thick insulation between 14 to 18 inches will help reduce heat from entering your home. Not the overabundance but the lack of insulation in the attic.

If hot air is allowed to sit in your attic it could overheat the shingles on your roof and cause damage. A hot attic is bad for several reasons. Excessive heat deteriorates items you store in the attic and can cause moisture. It also blocks 98 of uv rays 99 of exterior light and 40 of outside noise.

Another problem with vaulted ceilings at least here in the southeast is that builders use tradeoffs to put in less insulation than is required for flat ceilings. Too many people believe that because heat rises ventilating an attic space during the winter means you re releasing warm air and creating a drag on your heating efficiency. During the summer this leads to the hot air from the attic seeking out the cooler conditioned floors below. In addition hot air in your attic could increase moisture levels which could result in wood rot and mold growth.

By upgrading your insulation you can save energy and improve interior comfort year round. With only minimal levels of insulation and areas where insulation is missing attic heat can turn ceiling drywall into a giant radiator that makes upstairs rooms uncomfortably hot.