NORTH KANSAS CITY Blog

What Is The Stack Effect and Why Does It Matter?

While the actual insulation in your home is a vital part of keeping your home comfortable through building science, there is another factor you must pay attention to as well: Ventilation. A properly ventilated attic allows the existing insulation to do its job and keep your home more comfortable as temperatures swing in the warm and cool months.

Stack Effect

Attics are designed to expel air as the warm air rises to the vents in the roofline. As air leaves the attic, negative air pressure is created and “pulls” air into the space. This can be through designed ventilation (i.e. soffit vents, solar fans) and unwanted ventilation (i.e. windows, doors, cracks in the building envelope). This air pull starts at the attic level, but makes its way to the lowest floor of the home as well, thus being called the “stack effect”.

When our expert estimators are on-site, they will walk you through any issues air penetration may be causing in your home, and the solutions we provide.

Improper Ventilation

Poor Air Quality

When air is pulled into the home via the stack effect, it avoids the HVAC system and filter. This brings pollen, allergens, dirt, dust and any other unwanted airborne particles from outdoors into your home. What does this mean for you? More dusting, cleaning and allergies.

Uneven Temperature in the Home

Here in Kansas City, we know the weather is almost always unpredictable and temperatures can fluctuate 50+ degrees in 24 hours. This can wreak havoc when attempting to maintain consistent temperature inside.

The more air movement within the building envelope of the home, the higher likelihood of hot and cold spots appearing inside. Air entering the home through the stack effect is unconditioned air, changing the temperature inside and causing the HVAC system to work harder to keep the temperature that is set at your thermostat. This costs you money in utilities and more stress on your HVAC system, lowering the lifetime of your A/C and Furnace.

Moisture in the Attic

When we don’t control the moisture level in the attic, we are essentially creating greenhouse conditions above the lived space. Making sure we have both temperature and humidity control is vital to keeping a healthy building envelope. This can be accomplished by controlling the stack effect in your home through insulation and proper ventilation.

How Do We Address Stack Effect Issues?

Proper Insulation

Determining the optimal amount of attic insulation and either add or replace the existing insulation to meet that need. An under-insulated attic will allow the extreme heat or cold temperatures of the attic to make its way inside the building envelope.

Attic Ventilation

Ensuring proper ventilation in the attic allows the home to self-regulate attic temperature. For example, using a solar fan on the roof deck can decrease the attic temperature to within 15 degrees of the outside temperature. An unventilated attic can reach temperatures of 160 degrees in the summer!

Air Sealing

Perhaps the most important way of preventing the negative consequences of the stack effect is air-sealing the floor of your attic. By sealing air penetration points between the conditioned, lived space of the home and the harsh attic, we significantly decrease the negative air pressure that allows the stack effect to begin. Our installation professionals will foam seal all air penetration points within the attic, ensuring outside air is only coming in through designed areas and not through the home.

Learn More with North Kansas City’s Insulation Professionals

During our Free Estimate process, we will walk through all parts of your homes ventilation and how to make your insulation and building envelope more efficient. We will always work to leave your home more comfortable and cost-effective as temperatures fluctuate.

Your local insulation professionals at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City are experienced in building science and how ventilation and insulation go hand in hand. However, we also understand the importance of working within your budget and schedule. Our technicians can provide insight on your options so you can make a clear, educated decision to properly prioritize your needs. Contact our team today to learn more about insulation’s impact on your home and schedule a free evaluation.