If your house is too hot, poor attic ventilation could be a major contributor. Your attic might be “out of sight, out of mind,” but the truth is, it has a huge impact on the temperature in your home. Heated air needs to be able to escape freely from the attic, or else it gets stuck and keeps things hot, hot, hot!
Luckily, it’s not hard to figure out if your attic has poor ventilation.
Here are the signs:
Your Attic Is Always Hot, Even at Night
When the attic has poor ventilation, it remains hot continuously for hours after the sun goes down. It’s only likely to be cool for a few hours in the middle of the night – if at all. There’s not enough time for all of the heat to dissipate, and then the process starts right over again in the morning.
Your Attic Is Much Hotter Than the Nearest Room
If you need to evaluate the temperature of your attic, think of it in terms of the next room directly below. If the attic is much warmer – more than five degrees – then the odds are good the ventilation just isn’t all it should be. An attic may be slightly warmer, especially between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., but shouldn’t be sweltering hot.
Your Attic Feels Stuffy
Simply enough, any space where there isn’t enough air will feel stuffy. It may be hard to breathe and you might find yourself sweating, out of breath, or even dizzy. A well-ventilated attic is a space where you can safely spend time. If you feel like you want to bail out after fifteen minutes, there’s usually a very good reason.
Your Roof Shingles May Need Replacement
We always recommend homeowners in the Austin area get an annual roof inspection, especially if you have a regular shingle roof. While there’ll always be a few shingles that need to be replaced, you shouldn’t find that you need to replace a lot of them every single year – unless excess heat in the attic is softening them up over time!
If you’ve noticed one or more of these signs, it’s time to call a roofing contractor in Austin and get to the bottom of the issue. Not only will your home be more comfortable, but you can also save money on cooling.
Contact us today to find out more or get started.