So a radiant barrier properly insulated attic properly sealed and insulated ducts properly air sealed attic before it is insulated is the way to go.
Why part of attic sealed.
I say sealed too just because it s easier than saying incidentally covered over with a finished surface my inspection of the attic is a major part of a home inspection and it s important for buyers to know about any defects in the attic.
The division of energy resources states that the materials that separate the inside of the home from the outside are considered the home s envelope.
Combined with attic insulation air sealing can help to alleviate the formation of dangerous ice dams in the winter.
By air sealing in your attic you can stop many major air leaks and help to maintain the desired temperature throughout your home.
The attic space becomes indirectly conditioned as a result of the air leakage heat transfer and vapor diffusion through the ceiling.
All homes no matter what climate they are in should be air sealed so we don t have excessive air exchange from inside to outside.
This is a place that homeowners may never look at as long as they own their home.
The envelope is the barrier that keeps the inside of your home dry comfortable and energy efficient.
Why is air sealing the attic important.
The science behind attic ventilation however is sound.
Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.
A fundamental requirement of an unvented attic assembly is the use of air impermeable insulation on the underside of the unvented roof to prevent air infiltration and exclude airborne moisture from the attic.
Roofing panels can get wet when design or construction flaws allow moisture in when ice dams damage shingles or when strong winds and storms damage the roofing.
Sealed attics trap excessive heat and moisture which can lead to reduced shingle life.
What we are going to do here is all those things.
When hvac contractors install a ducted system in your attic they cut holes through this barrier and the drywall to install the vents that will supply the air to each room.
But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates.
Wet roofing panels have even less of a chance of drying in an unventilated attic when insulation has been applied directly to the underside of the roofing panels.