Attic Ventilation Can Solve Your Moisture Issues

Excess moisture in the attic is just one of those problems that most homeowners don’t notice until it’s too late. A combination of high relative humidity (usually above 50 to 60 percent) and outdoor temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit can create condensation that forms on the underside of roof sheathing and other areas. In an attic that’s improperly ventilated, this condensation becomes the perfect recipe for unchecked mold growth.

Temperature differences inside an improperly ventilated attic can cause plenty of other problems besides mold growth, including the deterioration of insulation and wooden structural members. However, explosive mold growth due to unchecked condensation can have devastating consequences for the health and well-being of your family.

Proper attic ventilation is one of the best ways to not only keep your attic free of moisture and mold, but also to keep your home comfortable throughout the year. Passive and active ventilation are the two most common ways of mediating and preventing condensation and subsequent mold growth in your home’s attic:

• Passive ventilation: Ridge vents, soffit vents and gable vents provide the necessary natural airflow needed for proper ventilation, in most cases. Rafter vents help direct airflow out through the gable or ridge vent.
• Active ventilation: Adjustable attic fans provide superior ventilation in areas where passive venting isn’t effective enough on its own. Attic fans can also cool hot attics by pulling cooler outside air through passive vents while pushing hot air out.

A recent study shows that people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, with 65 percent of that time spent at home. With those figures in mind, keeping mold and other airborne pollutants at bay should be your first priority. If you want to learn more about the benefits of attic ventilation, feel free to contact us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. We have more than 40 years of experience with energy and home comfort solutions in northwest Arkansas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about attic ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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