Attic Cleaning As It Relates to Strong HVAC Performance

Unless you use your attic as a guest room, office, or playroom, it's usually one of those out of sight, out of mind parts of the house. But that shouldn't be the case. A clean attic is essential to the optimal functioning of your HVAC system. Here are some of the ways that the condition of your attic affects your HVAC system.

Insulation

The attic is one of those areas of a home where a lot of energy is lost. Attic insulation adds a buffer that limits the temperature fluctuations in your home. It allows your HVAC system to regulate the internal temperature and keep it at a comfortable level with less effort.

If you don't clean your attic regularly, you won't know when your insulation is damaged. Damaged attic insulation won't offer a useful barrier to heat transfer. As a result, your HVAC system will work harder to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Additionally, pests like rodents are likely to find a home in an attic that's hasn't been attended to. These critters eat away at your insulation. Cleaning and sanitizing your attic thoroughly will prevent pests from becoming comfortable in your attic.

Cracks and Holes

Your attic will experience wear and tear over time. It may develop cracks and holes that may not only let animals in but also leak cool air or heat, making your HVAC system work inefficiently and contributing to higher energy bills. Cleaning the attic will help you know the areas where air might be leaking, so you can take the necessary measures to seal them — by having a clean attic.

Air Quality

If you have a dirty attic, a leak in your ductwork will make your HVAC system suck the dust, insect excrement, and other allergens into the attic. The system will blow these allergens throughout your house. That will make your items dusty in addition to aggravating allergies and respiratory issues.

Having a clean attic will improve the performance of your HVAC system and your home's overall health. For high-quality heating and cooling products and services, as well as advice on how to consistently maintain a clean attic, contact Air Assurance, an HVAC leader in Broken Arrow.

Simple Ways to Improve Attic Ventilation in Your Broken Arrow Home

Proper attic ventilation is key to maintaining good indoor air quality, protecting your roof and regulating interior moisture. It’s also lacking in a lot of homes, and you may not even know it until ice dams form in the winter or you find a nasty surprise in the form of massive mold growth. Here are a few things a ventilation professional can do to improve attic ventilation.

Assess Existing Soffit and Roof Vents

Most attic ventilation relies on a good pairing between soffit vents–that is, those positioned on the underside of the eaves or gables–and the roof vents along your home’s roofline. Air flows in through the soffit vents and back out the roof vents. If either of these are insufficient for your home’s needs, you’ll have inadequate ventilation. Contact a qualified contractor to determine if adding new vents is the right move for your home.

Install High-Efficiency Ventilation Systems

New technology brings a wide range of new solutions for your home, including ways to improve home efficiency. High-efficiency ventilation systems are more expensive to install than traditional vents, but work with sensors that determine the amount of ventilation and when. Many are paired with solar-powered fans that move air through faster without consuming grid electricity. While energy efficient systems have historically been used for commercial and multi-unit applications, they are becoming more and more popular in single-unit residential applications. Discuss your interests and expectations with your ventilation contractor to determine if an energy efficient system would work well in your home.

What You Can Do for Ventilation

As a homeowner, your responsibility to attic ventilation is, essentially, to leave it alone. That is, don’t use your attic for storage or in any way obstruct the existing ventilation system. Check the vents regularly to ensure that they’re free of debris, and have your attic insulation assessed to ensure that you have enough for optimum efficiency in your Broken Arrow home.For more information on how to improve attic ventilation, contact Air Assurance, your premier source for indoor air quality since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “somchai-rakin/Shutterstock”