MHIC# 141639 ~ Free Estimates ~ Fully Insured
Just in case you didn’t know… You should take notice if you discover a strong smell in your attic! In many cases… the bad smells might begin penetrating other areas of your home. Potentially much more serious and persistent bad odors can be a dangerous sign of deeper issues. When you detect a foul odor within your home, it is very important that you take a serious look at ventilation within your attic.
Below is a review of the common causes of bad attic odors — and having well-maintained attic with proper ventilation can help prevent this dangerous situation.
1. Mold & Mildew Growth
Along with the basement… An attic is one of the most widespread places for mold and mildew to flourish. Incorrectly installed insulation and a lack of a accurately balanced attic ventilation system can lead to the development of fungi, which generates a moldy odor. This is where ventilation comes in: when intake openings are wrongly covered with insulation, moist and hot air can be blocked from leaving the attic through the ridge or other exhaust ventilation— thus creating the ideal ecosystem for mold and mildew to flourish. While insulation is vital in keeping your residence heated through cold months… If it is incorrectly installed it may block ventilation and thwart airflow.
Your attic may possibly not have adequate ventilation capability for the airflow needed to enter and leave. This will lead to musty air… this is major reason of condensation and ultimately mold accumulation. Adding a soffit vent like is one of the simplest ways to remedy this dilemma. Talk to a professional roof team about adding Ridge Vent – Residential Roofing – CertainTeed at the roof peak, since this is where the moist and hot attic air escapes the area.
2. Wet Insulation
Mold is not the singular thing that can trigger this attic stench. Attic insulation can attract moisture when there is undue air moisture, triggering condensation to drip from various areas. Apart from giving to an objectionable smell, damp insulation will possible not perform properly and possibly require replacement. In addition to the incremental cost… homeowners need to consider the added cost to the energy bills because of by reduced energy efficiency in your residence.
If insulation has been moist for a long time, it is probable that an all-encompassing replacement may be necessary. To avert reappearance of the issue… prevention is better than the cure. It’s always prudent to make sure you have adequate ventilation.
3. Smelly Animals
Regrettably… It’s often the case that certain resourceful animals will obtain entrance to your home through openings near the basement or roof and ultimately reaching the attic. Openings in your window frames or ducts are also chosen points where troublesome critters can gain home access. Their urine and droppings can produce a remarkably unpleasant attic odor.
Some of these animals may perish inside your residence. Deceased animals like mice and rats decay quickly… Leaving behind an extremely nasty scent. If you notice a strong stench coming from the attic comparable to what was just described… It is critical to find the source rapidly as it can entice other undesirable pests and bugs. Keep in mind that these pests may not be in the attic precisely, but within an air-duct ventilation nearby.
Why Attic Ventilation Is Essential
It is indisputable that correct attic ventilation is essential to keeping your attic and entire house smelling good: uninterrupted flow of air avoids mold development and helps thwart your insulation from getting damp.
However… Ventilation does more for your residence than just protecting it from foul smells…. It’s also softer on your bank account! Proper loft or attic ventilation helps lower energy costs and even protect your roofing system. Ventilation helps warm air flow outside of the house while cool air flow inside. Roof temperatures are kept at steady levels, lessening the probability that your shingles & decking will buckle or crack. In a colder situation, attic ventilation is also necessary for thwarting ice dams from happening.
If you think your house is in necessity of improved ventilation on the attic and roof, it is all a good decision to hire a certified professional to help safeguard these areas get the correct amount of air-flow. Chrome Exteriors will help establish how many extra roof and attic vents your residence may need and make sure they are installed to achieve peak efficiency!
Attic Ventilation
Insulating and sealing the attic makes a big difference in the coziness of your house in the winter… When your attic is not adequately ventilated it may trigger several issues. In the summertime heated attics may create a cooker effect on the top floor of the residence if it is not adequately ventilated. Also in the winter homeowners may be wind-up with ice damming. Moisture problems may occur at any time of year. As heat rises it is essential to have vents lower on the roof such as a soffit or eave vents to circulate air into the attic and vents at the top to permit the warm air to flee.
Methods to Ventilate the house
A ridge vent along ridge of the ridge of the roof is utilizing convection to draw air from the lower soffit vents… which naturally drifts skyward to flee at the ridge of the roof. This technique is silent and free of charge. In Maryland, most of the year this is adequate to eliminate humidity and heat from the attic. In late summer, when it’s especially hot, this technique is not sufficient to maintain the attic cool and having an effective form of attic ventilation such as an attic fan is most desired.
A wind turbine or “whirlybird” is also a passive technique of venting the attic. These components move due to convection of air rise and exit the attic and when the wind blows it draws air out of the attic. It is essential to select an aluminum unit with sealed all bearings, so it doesn’t corrode and get noisy. This is a less pricey approach than the ridge vent and a simple add-on if you find the need to improve ventilation after roof work is complete. This is a wonderful approach for smaller attics.
Attic fans are dynamic ventilation; they use electricity and are regulated by a temperature/humidity switch. In Maryland, this is the best approach; it works all year-round eliminating heat and moisture. It requires to be fitted appropriately… or else it may be too loud. It also requires adequate intake air from soffit ventilation to “maintain” it.
Gable end fans, wonderful for lesser attics, not so wonderful for larger spaces as its field of effectiveness can be lessened over a modest distance if there is a lot of soffit ventilation. Once again, this approach needs eave of soffit vents to feed it as it can be loud if it is famished for air.
Soffit or eave vents feed air into the attic space. All the above air circulation schemes need air to be able to distribute the warm, and occasionally humid air out of the attic. On the inside of the attic, baffles ought to be installed to stop insulation and other substances from obstructing the airflow from these vents.
-
MORE is not better:
Do not install a ridge vent in addition to an attic fan… either one or the other does the job. Attic fans decompress the attic space and can trigger humidity to be pulled in when it’s raining. Getting more may short circuit the soffit vents so neither the fan nor the ridge vent will function as intended.
Attic Ventilation is Very Important Part to Every Home
If your attic is not ventilating properly, you will either be too cold during the winter or too hot during the summer. An inadequately ventilated attic will trigger you to lose heat or air conditioning and will prove to be very costly. Attic ventilation is essential for the wellbeing and comfort of the dwellers of the house. Eradicating the surplus heat confined under the roof decreases temperatures and lowers the cost of air conditioning.
Every home needs a correctly ventilated attic. It may be complicated to understand exactly what you require based on the age of your home, type of construction and square footage. Calculation out the correct ventilation needed for your residence is worth investing a moment and resources. The proper type of ventilation system will save you cash and add comfort to your house. A home energy assessment of your attic ventilation system will give you a precise measurement and reasonable suggestions.
What to Know About Professional Ice Dam Removal
If you live in an area with harsh winters, it is essential to know how to prevent and remove ice dams from your roof. Ice dams occur when snow on your roof melts and refreezes near the edge of your roofline, causing water to back up under shingles and potentially leak into your home.
While you may be tempted to remove ice dams yourself using a ladder and hammer, this can be incredibly dangerous. Instead, consider hiring a professional roofing contractor who has the proper equipment and experience to safely remove ice dams without damaging your roof.
What to Know About Professional Ice Dam Removal
Ice dams are a frequent problem during winter in Maryland. They occur when snow on the roof melts and freezes at the eaves, causing ice to build up and block water from draining off the roof. If left untreated, ice dams can cause considerable damage to your roof and home.
Professional roofing services can help with ice dam removal by using specialized equipment such as steamers or high-pressure washers to safely remove the ice without damaging your roof. It is important to note that attempting DIY ice dam removal can be dangerous and may cause more harm than good – always leave this task to experienced professionals.
Home Improvement – Maryland Metro Areas
If your Home or Business needs a new Roof… We have a service catered for you:
