If a room is uninhabitable but it’s a room that you never use, does it matter? If that room is your attic, the answer is yes, but the attic is also one of the most commonly neglected parts of a home. Houses are like a small ecosystem, and each room affects all the others, so it’s important that you pay attention to every room, including the top and bottom (attic and basement).

A properly ventilated room is important for the health and safety of your family, which is why many people work to ensure they have great ventilation in the rooms that are inhabited on a regular basis. But homeowners often forget to apply the same rules to rooms that they only enter a few times a month—or only once every few years. Ventilation isn’t just for the benefit of the people within the home; it also ensures the prolonged health of the entire room. In the case of the attic, ventilation helps protect the integrity of the roof above, and the rooms below.

The Air Trap

When an attic remains unventilated it becomes an air trap. The “stuffy” feeling people experience is the trapped air that’s gotten so thick and filled with humidity that it’s may have even begun to pressurize the room – similar to the cabins of airplanes and submarines.

Comfort isn’t the only worry regarding unventilated attics, though. Trapped air can condense into moisture, which will lead to very serious home conditions like mold and weakened roof support structures. Conditions get even more extreme when seasons change, since shifting temperatures can put added stresses on the home and increase wear and tear.

Ventilation is the Answer

The best way to counter these potential problems is to install a simple ventilation system that’s easy to operate and doesn’t break the bank. Fortunately, the gable vent meets all of those needs. These slatted window vents have been installed in homes for centuries, and have worked to keep attics at comfortable and safe levels of humidity and air pressure. They provide the necessary air circulation any room needs, without having to alter the structure of the home in any significant way.

If you have a stuffy attic and want to know more about how to get the proper circulation in that room, contact us today. We have many options for the different needs and specifications of the modern home. We’ll talk and work with you on the best solution that improves both the style and function of the house.