How Do I Keep My Attic Warm In The Winter?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Block windows. Just like you’d use heavy drapes to block the cold in your living room, it’s necessary to cover areas where leaks promote temperature shifts. …
  2. Insulate the space. …
  3. Extend your ductwork.

Should attic be warm in winter?

What temperature should an attic be? The ideal temperature in your attic should be

no less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter

and no more than 10-20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature in summer, with a maximum of about 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Should an attic be cold in the winter?

Even if your attic is too cold in the winter, it’s likely that the

temperature inside your attic will still be higher than the temperature outside

during summer months. … In fact, in order to keep upstairs rooms sufficiently cool, it’s often necessary to make downstairs rooms uncomfortably cold.

Should my attic be freezing?

Your attic is a cold zone – that means that it

should be the same temperature as the outside air

. By letting heat escape freely from your home into the attic, and having cool air from the outside meet in the middle you may have a problem.

How do I keep my attic cool in summer and warm in winter?

If your attic has windows, be sure to block the sun in the summer with heavy drapes or light-reflecting blinds. In the winter, open up the drapes or blinds, and

let solar heat warm up your attic

. Ensure attic windows are property caulked and insulated to prevent drafts and loss of heat.

How can I warm up my attic?

  1. Seal any drafts from windows and doors.
  2. Install a mini split with a heat pump.
  3. Extend ductwork from central furnace up to attic.
  4. Install an electric fireplace that can be used when needed.
  5. Use a space heater to warm up the room when needed.

Why is my house so cold even with heating on?

The reasons your house is cold even with the heat on could be because of

poor insulation

, your furnace not working properly, rooms with high ceilings, or your heating system doesn’t cover the whole house. Each of these issues can prevent your home from properly heating.

Should I leave my attic door open in winter?


It is generally not recommended to keep your attic door open unless your entire home is naturally ventilated

and not air-conditioned. Even in those instances, it may be better to simply open the windows on either side of the attic and keep the door closed.

Why are attics so cold?

Why is this a problem? During the winter,

most attics are ventilated

, so they get cold. And the roof deck exposed to the attic gets really cold – cold enough to lead to condensation problems if too much moisture accumulates up there. Think about your bathroom mirror – that mirror is at room temperature, maybe 72F.

How hot is an attic on a 100 degree day?

Step one: Ventilation

Thanks to the radiant heat affect, attic temperatures on a 100-degree day

can reach 170 degrees or more

. That is certainly too hot, but how hot is OK? At the very best, conventionally ventilated attics can never be cooler than the outside air temperature.

Can I cover my attic vents in winter?

You should absolutely leave your roof vents open during

the winter – do not cover them!

During the winter, roof ventilation works to keep temperatures even. Closing your vents makes the attic space too warm and dry – dangerous conditions for mold as well as pests.

Will insulating my attic make my house warmer?

One of the places in your home where a little bit of attention can make a big difference in your comfort — and heating bill — is the attic. According to the Department of Energy,

properly insulating the attic can save 10 to 50 percent on a typical heating bill

.

Should your loft be cold?

A cold ventilated loft has always been tradition…

Nowadays we are recommended to

insulate the floor of the loft

with 270 mm of loft roll to prevent heat loss from the rooms below, but this means that the loft is much colder than when uninsulated, and so the condensation risk increases.

How hot is an attic on a 90 degree day?

More often than not, attic temperatures will be

in excess of 125 degrees on a 90

degree day. This will overwork your air conditioning equipment, run up your utility bill and shorten the life of your roof. Ridge vents help – excessive heat can escape through ridge vents.

Why is my finished attic so hot?

One of the biggest reasons your attic is getting so hot is most

likely due to improper ventilation

. There are different kinds of vents that your home may have such as turbines, box vents, ridge vents, and power vents and the size of those vents needs to be proportionate to the size of your attic bedroom.

How do I stop my attic from getting hot?

  1. Seal spaces around plumbing, recessed lights and vents. Your attic can get as hot as 150 degrees in the summer. …
  2. Install adequate insulation. Start by examining the insulation that is already in your attic. …
  3. Install gable vents. …
  4. Get an attic fan, and have it serviced regularly.
David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.