Excess heat and humidity in the house come hand in hand and the main culprit, in this case, is the attic. During the hot summer months, heat enters into the attic space through the roof and increases the attic temperature significantly. Attic temperatures can easily reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit in some instances. This heat eventually penetrates the house through the ceiling and can increase the indoor temperature by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. During the night when the temperatures cool, the overheated attic space produces condensation and humidity.
Regulating Heat and Humidity with Attic Insulation
The aforementioned scenario where direct heat from the sun penetrates the attic space is known as solar radiation. Convection can equally cause attic temperatures, and subsequently the house temperature to rise. Convection is where the movement of air is directly responsible for the rise in temperature. Warm or hot air from outside the house on hot days can penetrate the home through wall cavities, ceilings and other air gaps in the attic.
Lastly, conduction is where the attic materials or the structure itself draws heat from the outside much like a pot draws heat from the flame to cook its contents. All these problems can be resolved by installing or upgrading your attic insulation.
Effective attic insulation acts as a barrier that prevents the attic heat from seeping through the ceiling and into the house. This can significantly reduce the indoor temperature and humidity.
The attic R-value mandated to consider your insulation compliant or effective is between R-50 and R-60. This type of insulation should take care of the bulk of the heat and moisture problems in your home.
The ideal situation, however, would be to prevent the attic temperature from rising in the first place which is the root cause of the heat and humidity problems. Insulation also works best when cool so reducing the attic temperature not only resolves the heat and humidity problems but also increases your energy efficiency and boots the insulation’s ability to do its job properly.
Additional measures besides upgrading or installing new attic insulation include;
Radiant Barrier
A radiant barrier, when used in combination with effective insulation works wonders for your indoor temperature and energy efficiency. This barrier is typically a metallic or foil-coated material that can be installed directly on top of the insulation, under roofing material or other optimum location to be determined by an expert. This material reflects solar radiation back to the exterior of the house.
Attic Insulation Toronto experts are able to combine attic insulation and radiant barrier effectively to get the best result.
Ventilation
Asphalt is a common roofing material and though effective in repelling UV rays, it soaks and retains much of the heat that strikes it which is later transferred into the attic. Improving your attic ventilation ensures that the attic temperature and humidity levels are managed effectively.
Air Sealing
Air sealing solves the problem of attic heat via the flow of air. In fact, it is necessary that this process is undertaken before the insulation can be installed otherwise it won’t perform optimally. These air leakages are also extremely difficult to locate and seal once the insulation has been installed.
Air sealing is a painstaking job which includes inspecting common air leaks around light switches, kitchen and bath fans, baseboards, chimney chase and where utility wires go through the framing. There are also other not-so-obvious potential air leaks to be addressed. Attic Insulation Toronto experts rely on their vast experience and rigorous training and education to undertake this step expertly.
Hire Attic Insulation Toronto to Reduce Heat and Humidity in House
Although there are additional steps to take beyond installing proper attic insulation, it is difficult to understate the importance of properly installed and high R-Value insulation in reducing heat and humidity in the home. The additional steps ensure that the insulation performs optimally.
This job is hardly possible to do well as a DIY project. Hire the experts who are able to take into account all the factors contributing to the high heat and humidity in the house and who take the necessary steps to resolve the problem permanently. The savings in energy efficiency alone are enough to pay to have the job professionally and properly the first time around.