Attics and Crawlspaces

Besides the efficiency of your HVAC system, there are other strategies that will further optimize your system’s energy efficiency. AirStar can work with you to implement these systems, saving you money in the long run.

• For Attics
  • Power attic ventilators
  • Radiant barriers
• For Crawlspaces
  • Vapor barriers

For Attics

Power Attic Ventilators
Ventilation of the home attic is especially important during the long North Carolina summer, when excess heat builds up in the attic during the day, resulting in high energy costs for cooling. Also, many people have the air handler for heat or their coil in the attic; if the air is a lot warmer inside, the system has to work harder, losing efficiency.

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Radiant Barriers
Radiant barrier insulation is a reflective insulation system that offers a permanent way to reduce energy costs. Radiant barrier insulation systems reflect radiant heat energy instead of trying to absorb it. A pure aluminum radiant barrier reflective insulation is unaffected by humidity and will continue to perform at a consistent level no matter how humid it may be. A radiant barrier insulation system is a layer of foil facing an airspace and is installed in the envelope of a building.

A radiant barrier reflects radiant heat energy instead of trying to absorb it. What does this mean in your home or business? During the winter, 50-75% of heat loss through the ceiling/roofing system and 65-80% of heat loss through walls is radiant. In the summer, up to 93% of heat gain is radiant. If you are depending on R-value (what is R-value? Links to FAQs) alone to insulate against heat gain and loss, remember that thin layers of fiberglass are virtually transparent to radiant energy and are affected by changes in humidity (moisture levels). A 1-1/2% change in the moisture content of fiberglass insulation will result in a 36% decrease in performance. A pure aluminum radiant barrier is unaffected by humidity and will continue to perform at a consistent level no matter how humid it may be.

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Crawlspaces

Vapor barriers
The problem with a dirt or vented concrete crawlspace is that as warm air rises in your home, it brings up with it the air that was previously in your crawl space, including moisture and mold spores, as well as anything else that may be airborne down there.

As this air rises in your home, replacement air enters from the lowest part, your crawlspace. This replacement air is made up with unconditioned outside air that enters through vents and other leaks, and air that is actually sucked from the crawlspace floor, either dirt or concrete, which is typically filled with lots of moisture. This natural upward air movement is called the "stack effect" -- this is how chimneys work. Consequently, whatever is in the air at the lowest point eventually flows up into the living sections. Up to 40% of the air we breathe on the first floor of our home comes from the crawl space.

A concrete or dirt crawl space with a crawl space vent is a never-ending source of moisture. Even if the dirt's surface seems dry, digging down a few inches reveals moist earth.

Sealing the crawl space from the earth and outside air is the solution to moisture and dampness in the home. Properly sealing the crawlspace and removing the moisture from the ground and air is part of the solution that helps provide a mold-free, radon-free, and insect-free environment, which leads to a more more energy-efficient and healthier home.

To avoid moisture's negative affects, a crawlspace should be completely sealed and isolated from the ground and he humid outside air. AirStar can help you with sealing that crawlspace, to help you lower your energy bills, resulting from reduced crawlspace humidity, which also translates into comfort and savings year after year.

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