An attic tent helps close a major source of both heat gain and heat loss in your home.
In summer, heat from a broiling attic infiltrates downward into living spaces. Heat gain from a hot attic can raise temperatures in air conditioned rooms below by as much as ten degrees. It’s harder to maintain indoor comfort and your air conditioner runs longer cycles to meet thermostat settings, increasing monthly cooling costs. In winter, the reverse happens as household heat tends to rise upwards into the attic, boosting your heating expenses.
Closing The Heat Gap
A common pathway for heat transfer out of and into the attic are the pull-down attic access stairs installed in the ceiling. In many homes, the stairs represent the largest single energy breach between the living spaces and the attic. Here are two reasons why:
- Unlike the ceiling where it is installed, the attic stair panel is typically uninsulated and allows heat transfer by radiation and conduction.
- Though attic stairs usually incorporate a seal around the perimeter, over time the springs that retract the stairs and retain them against the ceiling seal inevitably weaken. A gap typically forms, causing air leakage that also promotes heat transfer into or out of the living spaces.
How Attic Tents Help
Mounted on the attic side of the ceiling, an attic tent is sized to completely enclose the opening where pull-down stairs are installed. The tent functions as both an effective radiant barrier as well as a seal against air leakage. Typically fabricated of urethane material treated that provides an insulating R-value of 3.2, the tent resists heat transfer by radiation and conduction. Because it fits securely around the entire stair opening and is sealed to the attic floor with silicone caulking, air leakage out of and into the attic is also eliminated. A zipper running around three sides easily opens the tent to maintain full access into the attic from the stairs.
The professionals at Jackson & Sons will be happy to share more information about the benefits of an attic tent.
Jackson & Sons, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Eastern North Carolina (including Wayne, Johnston, Greene, Lenoir, Pitt and Duplin Counties) about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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