There are two types of attics found in homes. The first type is a vented attic, where insulation is along the ceiling joists. Vented attics should have intake ventilation at the soffits and exhaust ventilation at either the ridge or the gable ends to allow hot air to exit. The second type of attic is a sealed conditioned attic,where insulation is in the roof rafters and gable ends versus the ceiling joists.
When deciding to insulate your attic, the first step is to figure out what type of attic you have in your home. In the south, the typical house is often built with a vented attic. Sometimes there is a gable vent, sometimes a ridge vent. The point is to allow warm, moist air to rise and exit the attic without building up and causing moisture problems. The other type of attic is a conditioned attic. This is accomplished using spray foam on the underside of the roof deck and along the gable walls to seal as much air penetration as possible. It also has conditioning from either HVAC vents into the space or an alternate moisture control device like a dehumidifier.
If you have a traditional-style vented attic, you can still insulate it to protect the rest of the home from the cold and heat of the attic. Tredegar will vacuum out the old insulation and seal up any attic penetrations like ceiling light fixtures or chimneys Then they blow new R-38 or R-49 insulation into your attic joists. At least twelve inches of insulation will protect the areas underneath your attic against the heat of summer and the cold of winter!
In a conditioned attic space, the best way to insulate is to spray foam into the rafters of your attic space. That way, you can maximize the floor space available, and you aren’t wasting that heating and air conditioning.
Some people decide to change the type of attic they have for several reasons. HVAC systems may incur additional wear and tear in an unconditioned attic. Family heirlooms could become damaged by temperature fluctuations. A conditioned space will ensure your HVAC system isn’t working overtime and better protect your valuable antiques. You may also have quite a bit of usable space that you can use, and you want to maximize all the available space in your home! Suppose you find you are looking to change the type of attic you have into a conditioned space. In that case, Tredegar Construction can insulate your rafters with spray foam, help you figure out your conditioning needs, andensure the area is sealed.
Do you have additional questions about what type of attic you have or what needs need to be met in your home? Let our team of qualified professionals come by and look; let us see if we can help, and if not, no worries!
OUR SERVICE AREAS: Tredegar Construction provides siding, commercial and residential roofing, gutter installation, attic insulation, and crawl space solutions inthe Richmond, Virginia metro area and surrounding counties such as Ashland,Charles City County, Chester, Chesterfield County, City of Richmond, Colonial Heights, Goochland County, Hanover County, Henrico County, Hopewell, King William County, New Kent County, Petersburg, Powhatan County and more! Don’t see your area listed? Reach out! We may serve your area!
