The Benefits of Proper Attic Ventilation
Published on January 17, 2018
The benefits of proper attic ventilation for homeowners cannot be understated - ensuring that your attic can breathe means that your whole home (including your furnace and other HVAC system components) will work more efficiently all year round. 
Proper attic ventilation allows your insulation to perform at a high level, preventing it from degrading and reducing its susceptibility to issues such as mold.
Proper attic ventilation ensures that stale air is pushed out of your attic space while fresh new air is pulled in - balanced circulation helps to keep your attic at a uniform temperature and humidity level, regardless of the time of year. In the winter, an under-ventilated attic can draw in warm, moist air from below, leading to condensation and mold issues, and conversely, in the summer months, inadequate ventilation allows heat from the sun and outdoors to transfer into your attic, and downwards into your home.
The Benefits of Proper Attic Ventilation are:
- Increased energy efficiency
- Greater longevity of your attic, roof, and insulation
- Decreased strain on your furnace and air conditioning unit
- An increased indoor comfort, as the rooms of your home maintain a more balanced temperature
- Airflow in your attic ensures that any moisture is quickly dried up and mold won’t be able to form
These benefits ensure that your attic is doing its job right, because each area of your building plays an important role in the overall health and comfort of your home, and the benefits of proper attic ventilation extend into these others areas. For example, increased energy efficiency from a well ventilated attic affects both your furnace and air conditioner. When your attic is well ventilated and insulated by a professional, air moves through the attic and constantly refreshes the space, preventing heat buildup from spilling into your rooms below, where your HVAC system is working hard to keep your comfortable. This reduced workload results in greater energy efficiency and a savings on your monthly heating and cooling bills - as well as decreased strain on your major appliances.
The benefits of proper attic ventilation also help you get the most from your attic, roof, and insulation by making the attic an unwelcome environment for mold or condensation. Mold growth will affect more than just a patch of drywall or corner of insulation - it can seriously affect your health and spread throughout your home. Mold requires moisture to grow, and if that moisture is prevented from settling by increased ventilation, your insulation, roof sheathing and attic can continue to perform at their best.
If your attic isn’t properly ventilated, the good news is that ventilation can be usually be greatly improved without needing to perform costly renovations. Providing your attic with proper ventilation is a simple and effective way to both protect your home and your wallet, and can ensure that additional issues such as mold growth or extra wear and tear on your furnace aren’t a problem. Give the professionals at EcoComfort a call to learn more about the benefits of proper attic ventilation and what we can do to help you.
