What signs should I look for that my gable vents are not operating efficiently?
Why is my cooling bill is higher?
Summer cooling bills may vary with power price increases and the intensity of the heat that particular summer. But noticeable increases in a power bill without any other cause may be due to the attic over heating from improper ventilation. If this is a suspect, one way to verify is simply place a thermometer in the attic to monitor the temperature. Temperatures over 130 degrees suggests there beeds to be more ventilation or the current vents may be working against eachother. One common mistake is placing an attic fan on the exhaust vent instead of the intake vent. These vents will last longer and be less likely to malfunction if they are placed at the gable vent nearest the evening shade. This vent will become the intake vent for cooler evening air. The fan should be aimed towards the hot side of the attic where the opposing gable vent is. This will direct the hot air to circulate properly and exit. Placing the fan on the hot vent as an exhaust may overheat the electrical components and possibly catch fire. This method also does not circulate the stale air but only pulls or draws the heated air from the attic. Without circulated air, the attic will not stay healthy.
Why is my ceiling hotter than usual?
If the upper level rooms of the home are radiating more heat than usual, or if the ceiling seems heated in the summer, the gable vents may not be adequate or may not be the problem. First check to see if there is insulation installed in the ceiling / attic floor. This is the first heat barrier to protect the rooms from overheating. Yet, if the ceilings or outer walls sweat or seem to collect condensation, there may be too much insulation. The walls and ceilings (actually all the wood framing of a home) should never be sealed up air tight. The timbers and studs need to breath to dry out. At this point a contractor can advise and fix these issues. And believe it or not, insulation can be old or worn out by wind infiltration, settling over time and even the scurrying little feet of a squirrel compacting and chewing away at it.
Why is my heating bill higher?
During an average winter and the heating bill doubles without obvious utility bill increases, can be a sign or over venting the attic. Over venting will allow the attic to cool way past the heating capabilities of most heating units. Some attics have been found to be 30 degrees cooler than the freezing temps outside. This is caused by the attic over cooling at night and retaining this temperature into the next day even as the sun starts to heat up. When the attic temp is this much colder than the outdoor temp, it will cause moisture build up since the warmer air and cooler air collide instead of acclimate to combine slowly. If the gable vents are adequate in the summer, they may just need to be partially closed off in the winter. But never close off all vents. This is how excessive moisture is expelled from the attic. If this moisture sits too long, it will form mold and mildew and eventually enter the HVAC ductwork and the home's living areas.
Do I have busted gable vents?
Another common attic venting issue is when a gable vent is damaged. Catching this early on can be preventative maintenance before it causes serious damage to the home. The damage may be due to the composition, age of the vent or even an animal. Did you know that wasps and grasshoppers can and do chew through vinyl and fiberglass screens. They believe they are carpenters and that every vent needs a door installed for them and their friends. They do not care that you may not want bugs moving into your attic. Aluminum screen will deter most insects and can be easily replaced on the rear of the gable vent from the attic side. The eviction of nonpaying residents specifically with 4 legs and excessive hair can usually be as simple as applying hardware cloth (AKA 1/2 inch wire mesh) to either the rear of the gable vent or the face on the gable outside. Also pay close attention to any damage that may have occurred naturally. Storm damage and age may have caused a slat to sag or even fall out. Wood gable vents may have rot set in or galvanized may have rust to soon be dismantling itself. Some of these issues can be solved with simple repairs. Others may require replacing the vent all together. At this point, the chosen replacement should be one that will last a lifetime such as an aluminum gable vent.
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