Common Attic Air Leacks

Energy star states that the most significant air leaks are often hidden in the attic below the insulation.

Common attic air leacks.

Drafts are typically found around windows and doors and while these drafts should be fixed immediately these are not the most substantial air leaks. Locating air leaks in the attic most people consider air leaks to be drafts. Air sealing the most common attic air leaks electrical plumbing and hvac contractors use your attic to conceal the wires pipes and ducts that comprise the mechanical systems in your home. Common attic air leaks include.

Behind kneewalls attic hatch wiring holes plumbing vents open soffit box for recessed lights recessed light furnace flue or duct chaseways windows and doors. While it s not common to find air conditioners in attics here in. Get your bearings from below before you crawl into the attic make a quick sketch of the floor plan. Common household air leaks.

In cold weather warm air rises in your house just like it does in a chimney. But locating leaks can be difficult because they are often hidden under your insulation. Common attic air leaks warm air flows out through tiny gaps in the ceiling and walls resulting in cold drafts of air around windows doors and other leaky areas. During the construction of your home they drill and cut holes through the walls to run these pipes and wires.

You probably think of your ceilings as solid surfaces but the truth is that ceilings leak air into unfinished attic spacesthrough gaps and openings such as around pipes and lighting fixtures. This air which you have paid to heat is just wasted as it rises up into your attic and sucks cold air in all around your home around windows doors and through holes into the basement. 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.