How Hot Is Your Attic Supposed To Be

A check the temperature an hour before sunrise.

How hot is your attic supposed to be.

The attic is cold. With poor insulation your ceiling might be 40 50 degrees f. The revers is true in the winter. The attic is a huge determinant in keeping your entire home cool so the first place to start cooling your home should be the attic.

Within the attic insulation is a must. An unventilated attic can reach 150 degrees in the heat of summer 50 degrees higher than it should be. Taking advantage of this natural process referred to as passive ventilation is the most common way to vent an attic. A final word about your attic remember regardless what temperature your attic space is 140 150 or 160 degrees if you are close to having r 30 or r 38 insulation above your ceiling the attic temperature in the middle of the summer only adds about 10 percent to your cooling bill.

What should the attic temperature be relative to the outside and house temperatures assuming a new supposedly well insulated house. A thick insulation between 14 to 18 inches will help reduce heat from entering your home. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Excessive heat deteriorates items you store in the attic and can cause moisture problems in your house.

For perspective radiant floor heating is usually set to a temperature of 80 to 90 degrees f to keep a room toasty warm during the winter. That means it s 5 percent of your total electric bill. The truth is your attic plays a major role in your home s overall energy performance and can significantly impact how much it costs to keep your living space comfortable. In the cold winter months the attic s ideal temp should be about par with the ouside temp while in the hot summer months the ideal temp inside the attic should only gain perhaps 15 20 degrees above the outside temp.

Take its temperature. And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature.