Conditioned Attics

A vented attic can heat up to 130 degrees in the summer, causing your HVAC system to work much harder than necessary. Unwanted moisture can also form as the result of condensation. These problems can be solved by applying spray foam insulation to the underside of the roof deck. As a result, the attic becomes a “conditioned” space that is as comfortable as any other room in your home.

This type of attic is becoming more popular as the overall cost of energy has Increased and the development of better Insulation products, such as spray foam have evolved. Conditioned attics work well in most climates, especially here in Virginia where we have excessively hot and humid summers and increasingly cold winters.

When were asked to look at an attic to give our recommendation on whether it makes sense to keep it a vented attic and just upgrade, or consider a conditioned attic space, our approach is not a “one size fits all.” We are going to look at it as if it were our own home and use some common sense.

Here are just a few things we want to look at:

1. Is there duct work in the attic? YES – then a conditioned attic makes sense.
2. Is there poor ventilation or no current ventilation? NO – then you may be a candidate for a conditioned attic. ( But most likely you could correct the ventilation Issue, but at what price? )
3. Lots of usable space in the attic? YES – conditioned attics are a great option as you end up with much more usable conditioned storage space.