Roofing

How to Keep an Attic Cool in the Summer – the 4 Best Steps

An intensely hot, humid attic is something to worry about. The temperature in an unventilated attic can reach up to 150 degrees—50 degrees higher than it should be—in the summer season. This situation leads to many dangerous and costly problems such as baked asphalt shingles, overworked air conditioners, increased utility bills, and heightened demand for roofing repairs. To effectively fight off these issues, consider following these options for bringing your attic’s temperature down.

1. Install Electric Ventilators and Attic Fans

Equipment is a big help when it comes to regulating indoor temperature. Electric ventilators or attic fans are commonly used by meticulous homeowners. Running an attic fan during the hottest part of the day can lower the temperature in your attic by as much as 50 degrees. It also prevents your roof from experiencing early deterioration.

2. Install Passive Vents

As alternatives to previously mentioned tools, you can install passive vents such as gables, soffits and ridge vents. These are installed as openings in the roof to allow hot air to escape from the boxed attic. Attic insulation companies will also attest that passive roof vents encourage airflow and enhance the overall comfort of the property.

3. Install Attic Insulation With an Ideal R-Factor Value

R-value measures how well a two-dimensional barrier, particularly a layer of insulation, resists the conductive flow of heat. If you’re finding a ventilation system to install in your attic, make sure to go with an R-factor of at least 19. This is an ideal precautionary measure to use when preventing your living space from heating up because of a poorly ventilated attic.

4. Observe Floor Space Measurements

According to our insulation contractors, it doesn’t matter what kind of ventilation system you use, make sure that there is at least one square foot of venting area for every 300 square feet of floor space.