Green Attic Insulation Baffles and Air Sealing Creating A Pressure Barrier From The Living Space.

The importance of a fresh air source at the eave is typically underperforming or blocked by loose fill fiberglass insulation in this type of Chicago area suburban home. By removing air blockage, adding ventilation by upgrading to continuous soffit ventilation, a combination of passive mushroom vents and active solar fan, you can keep your attic breathing healthy fresh air and avoid nasty dusty dark moldy smells, stains, spores, and the host of other issues that result from a poorly ventilated attic. What to look for and think about resolving. Are the framing members of the attic floor exposed? Are the Soffits blocked? Is rust or frost on the nails of the sheathing? Do bath fan or range hood ducts terminate in the attic causing excess condensation, mold, water stains? Any signs of scorched metal near flue pipes? Does insulation come in contact with the masonry chimney or is there a 2" clearance around the chimney. Any signs of rodents nesting in attic insulation? Are old style non IC rated can lights in contact with insulation?
The big heat losers are:
1. uninsulated hatch covers and skylight wells.
2 2" inch gap between masonry chimney and wood framing.
3. open framing above chases and soffits.
4. Old bath fan boxes.
5. Recessed lighting.
6. oversized openings for plumbing pipes, supply pipes, vents, electrical boxes etc.
7. heating and air conditioning ducts without insulation. 8. the perimeter of an attic with sloping roofs can be insulated but baffles should be installed first to keep insulation from blocking air flow up the eaves.