Common Attic Air Leaks

As the warm air rises through air leaks in your ceiling it carries dust which is filtered out by your insulation.

Common attic air leaks.

Air leaks also commonly occur at the edge of top plates which normally have a small gap of less than an inch between the plates and drywall. Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. Wrap insulation in plastic. Leaving behind a black or brown stain like the one in this video.

Air sealing the attic perimeter. Plug open stud cavities. If the insulation is black and dirty you know you ve definitely found an air leak. Plug the big holes first.

It s usually the hardest place to air seal because the cramped space. Common household air leaks behind kneewalls attic hatch wiring holes plumbing vent open soffit the box that hides the recessed lights recessed light furnace flue or duct chaseway the hollow box or wall feature that hides ducts basement rim joists where the foundation meets the wood framing. Drafts are typically found around windows and doors and while these drafts should be fixed immediately these are not the most substantial air leaks. Air leaks out at places where the builder didn t seal such as around the tops of walls near the ceiling through and around leaky top plates around attic hatches through dropped soffits above cabinets around recessed lights and around chimneys.

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Behind kneewalls attic hatch wiring holes plumbing vents open soffit box for recessed lights recessed light furnace flue or duct chaseways windows and doors. Electrical outlets pipes and light fixtures are examples of where you ll find air leaks. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.

This air leaks into your attic space and never reaches your living area which may lead to you adjusting your temperature. Property mothers you probably think of your ceilings as solid surfaces but the truth is that ceilings leak air into unfinished attic spaces through gaps and openings such as around pipes and lighting fixtures. Locating air leaks in the attic most people consider air leaks to be drafts. Common attic air leaks include.

Long piece from a batt of unfaced fiberglass insulation and fold it at the bottom of a 13 gallon.