Conditioned Space Attic

Ducts in conditioned space details figure 1 vented and unconditioned attic.

Conditioned space attic.

Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts. Lstiburek s enthusiasm was rooted in his desire to bring attic ductwork inside a home s thermal envelope. Heat pumps heat pump water heaters or sealed combustion furnaces and water heaters should be used. Unvented conditioned attics were quite rare before the 1980s.

The acceptance of unvented conditioned attics continues to grow among builders and building officials. Most contractors would never consider installing uninsulated ducts in a vented attic or crawlspace but regularly do in basements and foamed attics. Is the attic used for a significant amount of storage. If there is a desire to make that space conditioned to protect stored belongings if moving everything out to air seal and insulate at the attic floor would be a hassle and or if insulating at the attic floor would remove storage space then insulating at the roof line is a better option.

Attic hvac systems save space. The air handling unit is located in a conditioned basement. 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. 1a attic access door.

Among the early promoters of conditioned attics was joe lstiburek a principal of the building science corporation. If the air distribution is in the attic space then consider insulating the rafters to move the distribution into the conditioned space. The irc has permitted unvented conditioned attics since 2006 with certain requirements. In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below.

Code requirements vary across the country. An outdoor unit which houses the fan condenser and compressor and an indoor unit which holds the evaporator and fan. A common idea promoted across the industry is that any heat lost from an uninsulated duct system to a conditioned space isn t truly lost and has no effect on energy consumption. So why put an hvac system up in the attic at all.

Well mainly it s a way to save space. Making the attic a conditioned space taking the building envelope to the roof is a good approach and will save energy another approach is to use radiant coated deck sheathing seal all ceiling attic penetrations and blow in r 60 insulation as it will cost less than spray foam and should give at least the same energy efficiency to the home.