That Heat in Your Attic–You Know It’s Trying to Get Into the Rest of Your Home

Attics can get extremely hot in the summer in our Florida climate. Roofing materials tend to absorb a lot of heat from the sun’s rays. This heat then radiates into your attic where it makes the attic air much hotter than the exterior air. To make sure the heat in your attic isn’t getting into your home and forcing your air conditioner to work overtime, you’ll want to make sure your attic is well insulated. Taking steps to limit the amount of heat that builds up in your attic will also help.

The first step to insulating your attic is making sure that it’s well sealed against air leakage into and out of the living spaces below. Insulation will be much less effective if air currents are flowing through it, so be sure to seal any gaps around pipes, ducts, wiring, and other cracks and holes. You’ll also want to make sure the access hatch or door has a good air seal when closed.

In contrast to the sealing that should be done between the attic and house, you should provide plenty of ventilation to the exterior air. Since the attic air is warmed to temperatures much higher than those found outside, expelling the heat in your attic to the exterior air is a good idea. To really shed heat, you may want to install an exhaust fan in your attic (also called an attic fan). Since the heat gain of your attic is directly tied to sunlight, solar-powered attic fans are a great option.

Another strategy for reducing heat buildup is reducing the transfer of heat between the attic and roof. You can coat the underside of the roof with spray foam insulation or install a radiant barrier consisting of paper-backed foil.

While you’re working in the attic, you may want to think about adding solar light tubes. These can provide natural light to windowless rooms, such as bathrooms and hallways, and help cut down on lighting costs.

If you want help dealing with heat in your attic or other home comfort issues, please contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions today. We’ve been providing expert service, repairs and installation to homeowners and businesses in the Orlando area since 1969.

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

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