I've got gable vents at either end of my attic, and right now I've blocked them with foam board since it's not too hot yet. I've only owned the house for a bit over a year, but I'm already dreading the summer; it gets super hot up there, like a sauna! The insulation situation isn't great either—there's hardly any. I'm wondering if I should go for a gable vent fan or maybe something installed on the roof instead? Also, I can see some light coming through in one spot on the edge of the attic, and it gets quite cold up there in winter. Plus, I deal with high winds in my area. I'm looking for suggestions on how to remedy this before the heat hits. Thanks!
2 Answers
It sounds like your attic isn't conditioned, which is common. It’s usually best to add insulation above your living space's ceiling, but make sure to air seal all the holes for lights, pipes, and wires first. The best insulation thickness really depends on your climate. If you want to actually use your attic as conditioned space, you’d need to seal leaks, insulate walls and the roof deck, and install soffit and ridge venting to promote airflow. That said, I think older houses are better off with simpler solutions, so focusing on the ceilings below might be the way to go since most heat loss happens there.
A few years back, I rented a blower from Home Depot and added a bunch of insulation to my attic. It only cost me around $400 and took just a few hours. Trust me, it made a world of difference in both my heating and cooling costs! My insulation went from R-19 to close to R-30, and I highly recommend doing it if you can! Good luck!
Thanks! I’m considering that, but I need to fix some warped floorboards first. They might have gotten messed up because of the extreme temperatures.
I noticed that line of light on one side of the attic—does that mean I have a big issue? I had an energy audit, and they mostly mentioned insulation, but nothing about sealing up the attic. Should I get the gable exhaust fan with a temp gauge or focus on adding vents? I’ve got some old insulation under the floorboards, and it looks pretty crumbled.