Can You Have Too Much Attic Ventilation?

Are you worried that you have too much ventilation in your attic? If so, you should understand the reasons for too much ventilation and be able to identify the symptoms of too much ventilation.

Ventilation is important to regulate the temperature in your home and to control the moisture level. If your existing attic ventilation is not working properly, or you have never had proper ventilation, you could have moisture accumulation in your attic at some point.

This might not sound like a big deal, but moisture can lead to permanent damage to your attic insulation and interior walls. Further, it is a waste of money to have your air conditioning or furnace run longer so that you can maintain a comfortable temperature in your home.

Now that you understand the potential problems that can be caused by too much attic ventilation or no attic ventilation, you are probably interested in knowing if you have too much ventilation. If you have all of the symptoms listed below, you likely have too much or the wrong kind of ventilation in your attic.

Can You Have Too Much Attic Ventilation? – Let’s Discuss:

Yes, it is possible that your attic has too much ventilation. If you have experienced any of the five problems or symptoms below, your attic ventilation may be too much that it is creating a problem:

1. Too High Bills:

One of the biggest clues that you might have too much ventilation is when you see that your AC or Heating system is working harder or running longer than it should. This is not a good thing, but it can be harder to notice if you see a lower average temperature in your home.

If you have never had your home properly tested for air leakage, you should find out how much your system should be working when it is running at normal capacity. You can do this by finding some records from your utility bill or looking in your owner’s manual.

Look at your current utility bills to determine if you are running your system too long based on the numbers you identified. Compare previous years’ bills to see if air leakage has increased.

If you see that your system is running extra long, but the temperature in your home has not changed, you might have too much insulation in your attic. If this is the case, consider hiring a contractor to go into your attic and duct in a small amount of ventilation that will reduce over ventilation in your attic.

2. Condensation Problems:

Condensation can be a sign of ventilation; however, it is usually a sign of improper ventilation. If you see that your walls or ceiling has any degree of moisture on it, it needs ventilation. If you have a condensation problem, you do not need more ventilation in your attic; you need less. If you do not address the issue of moisture in your attic, you are more likely to get mold growth.

3. Disrupted Airflow:

If you have poor air distribution throughout your home, it might be caused by excess ventilation. Your walls and ceiling should allow your furnace heat to distribute evenly throughout your living space. It should not be concentrated or directed in one area.

4. Continuously Damp Area:

Do one or two rooms of your home consistently feel warmer than the rest? How about the moisture problem that was mentioned above? These could be signs that your ventilation is too much and over ventilating in that area. It might also be a sign that your insulation needs to be cleaned or replaced because it is saturated by moisture.

5. Sagging Ceiling:

Finally, you are paying extra to run your air conditioning or heating. You may not be seeing the temperature of your home change, but you may be seeing an indication of moisture in the form of buckling drywall or sagging ceiling.

If you have noticed these problems, and they only happen in one or two rooms of your home, it is most likely caused by over ventilation. Many homeowners will experience these symptoms when they have a whole house fan installed in their attic because the fan will be sucking the air out of one or two rooms in your home.

Take your time to understand what is causing your problem first, instead of going to the store to buy some insulation and trying to solve the problem yourself. A professional will be able to help you and show you how to properly stop over ventilation in your attic.

If you notice any of these symptoms, contact a local professional contractor to help you solve the problem. These professionals will be able to find the location of the leak, properly duct in the extra ventilation, and will be able to show you how to maintain your attic to avoid future problems.