Tightly Sealed Homes

Energy Loss

Sealing the cracks and openings that allow air (and heat) to flow in and out of a house can prevent energy loss. This can significantly lower the amount of energy needed to maintain a comfortable temperature in a home, and thus save money on heating and cooling bills. However, sealing all the gaps and holes in a house that cause energy loss can also have some drawbacks.    

Proper Ventilation 

Proper ventilation is essential for your family’s health, as it brings in clean air so before adding more insulation anywhere, you need to determine how tightly sealed your home already is. You can start by inspecting your attic. If the floor joists are visible, then you likely need more insulation to conserve energy. The insulation should be evenly distributed across the attic. 

In addition to the insulation on the attic floor, you might want to insulate the eaves of your house. This task will need the installation of rafter vents that prevent soffit vents from being blocked and guarantee the best performance of an insulated attic floor. Before you add any insulation, make sure to seal any air leaks, or the work will be useless.

Can You Make A House Too Tightly Sealed?

Most experts say no. A building should have minimal air leakage to guarantee energy saving, coziness, and long-lasting structure; but when a house becomes too tight, mechanical ventilation is needed to maintain good indoor air quality. To find out if a house is well-insulated, you can ask a roofing expert to measure the air changes per hour (ACH) in the house. This measurement tells you how frequently the air in a certain area will be renewed. In a home that uses energy efficiently, that number should be lower than 0.50 ACH.

Another issue is the use of combustion appliances inside a house. When these appliances are running, they can make the air quality worse and affect the breathing of the residents. A house might be too well-insulated when it has 0.35 ACH and has combustion appliances that do not let enough fresh air in.

Insulation is not only for the attic of your house. Experts can check if your house has too much insulation. Removing insulation from attic vents and creating more ventilation are the initial steps to make a tight house more breathable if needed.

Home efficiency standards have become much stricter than they used to be. Builders have to be careful in their methods to improve efficiency and comply with energy codes.

You want a home with good ventilation, clean air, and energy efficiency to keep your utilities low and your family healthy. Have a professional assist with the leaks and insulation in your home.  After you have fixed the air leaks and added any needed insulation, let us know. Greer’s definitely can make sure you have great air quality with our HVAC systems and accessories. Just give us a call.