The key to a green energy-efficient attic is no rocket science. It requires a basic understanding of some of the principles required to create a green healthy attic. A healthy attic is not only good to look at but can also be used for several purposes. Your home’s attic should not be just wasted space. Care should be taken to see that it is utilized to the best of your capability. This should not be a very difficult task to do if these simple steps are followed with concern and sincerity.
Time required: 3-4 hours
Materials required:
- Wood planks
- Foam for insulation
- Cloth or cotton for filling up holes, etc
Risks involved:
- Injury from old pieces of furniture or sharp unseen objects
- Dust infection
Steps to create a green attic:
Auditing
Auditing of your home attic is the first and foremost step to create a green attic for yourself. You will need to survey your attic and understand what it lacks in, and what other changes could be made in order to make it look better. Checking your attic for its faults is very important before you plan to renovate it. While auditing in your attic you will need to check for the following things:
Presence of air leaks
Providing insulation does not always mean cutting off all sources of air entirely. It does not imply the complete prevention of leakage of air, thus the main task for you is to locate the areas, which are releasing the air. This is not a very difficult job to do and it can be done on your own. You just need to inspect the areas where different substances are joined together, for example, frames of windows, air vents, foundations etc. If you can afford to spend some more time, you might want to depressurize your house by shutting all the doors and windows. You could also turn off your air system while you switch on all your exhaust fans, which would allow them to blow away all the air outside the windows. After you have done this successfully, light up an incense stick and move it around the places, which might be susceptible to air leakage. Wherever you see the smoke getting pulled in, that is the place where a leakage might be present.
Check ceiling for water stains
Check the ceiling to look out for any kind of water stains. The water stains on the roof could mean that your roof has leakage. It could also mean that your roof is suffering from moisture build-up due to the poor ventilation in the room.
Measuring the current insulation
The Energy Department has recommended that you should have a minimum of 11 inches of either fiberglass or rock wool. You could also use cellulose of 8 inches breadth. Even though many homes are insulated with rock wool or fiberglass, there are alternative green products available in the market. Those green products are not only cost effective but are very efficient in their working as well.
Covering the exhaust fan
The Energy Department highly recommends that the exhaust fans present in your attic should be covered well. At this point of time, a box could come in handy. You can use the box to seal up the area around the duct where it opens out into the attic room. This will help in decreasing the loss of heat from the attic.
Checking of soffit vents
It is very important to ensure that the ventilation is not blocked in your attic room. Check if any of your soffit vents are blocked, as it is mandatory to leave them open. The soffit vents open up outside the attic room.
Radiant barrier
Installation of a radiant barrier is a very sensible step towards creating a green attic. This is another form of insulation. The purpose of the radiant barriers is to eradicate the heat, which is being absorbed by the roof of your attic and thus helps to maintain the temperature of the attic. Apart from the benefit of easy installation, the radiant barriers are also capable of cutting down on your cooling expenditures by five to ten percentile.
Conclusion
A well-maintained attic is not just a pleasurable sight but is also of great use. It can be converted into a guest room, playing room or even an office room. The steps mentioned above are the key to a good green attic. If you follow accordingly, it will surely benefit you.
