Is My Attic Too Hot
A hot attic is bad for several reasons.
Is my attic too hot. When the attic and attic access are not properly sealed and insulated the hot air coming in through the roof can leak into the lower floors of the home. Combine this with the hot air rising from the lower floors and you re looking at a perfect recipe for uncomfortable upstairs environments. If hot air is allowed to sit in your attic it could overheat the shingles on your roof and cause damage. High temperatures inside your attic shorten the life span of shingles.
The attic is a huge determinant in keeping your entire home cool so the first place to start cooling your home should be the attic. My idea is to vent the build up of hot air that has risen to the ceiling in the hotspot rooms into the attic so that air from cooler parts of the house can move in. Not the overabundance but the lack of insulation in the attic. Overcome the hot attic effect with the right home improvements.
The natural air flow created by a properly vented attic will move hot air out of the home. I have a shop in my attic for some of my hobbies and it get s very hot in the summer. Alternatively install passive vents such as gable soffit and ridge vents which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape. Excessive heat deteriorates items you store in the attic and can cause moisture.
Another reason your attic is so hot is because of insulation. Having a properly vented attic is the best way to keep attic cool because it allows the hot air to escape during the summer. Stay cool in the summer. I have large attic with ridge vents and screened vents at either end of the attic to maintain air flow.
Low cfm similar to a bathroom vent 300cfm and only in the hot spots basically by adding an inline ducting fan to the return ducts for the hotspot rooms. In addition hot air in your attic could increase moisture levels which could result in wood rot and mold growth. Even if your attic is too cold in the winter it s likely that the temperature inside your attic will still be higher than the temperature outside during summer months. I live in northern virginia hot humid climate in the summer and use heat pumps to heat and cool my house throughout the year.
Attic ventilation is vital to the upkeep of your home so make sure it is installed and functioning correctly. They have thermostats that turn the fan on at a recommended preset temperature of 100 110 degrees.