This Old House Add Ac To Dormer Attic Space

A staircase from the ground floor led to an unfinished t shaped attic space.

This old house add ac to dormer attic space. Adding ac to a house that already has ducts is relatively straightforward. The state of your attic has a major impact on your home s comfort and energy efficiency. The hotspots in my house correspond to where the ceiling is closest to the roofline mere feet in some cases and the cold spots to where there is 10 15 of attic truss space. Don t avoid ventilating your attic for fear you re letting cold air into the house.

You can go to a much higher seer air conditioner and have all the bells and whistles. Arched top photo by nancy andrews. For this reason premium air conditioning systems may be the best choice for old houses. Here are 12 different types of dormer roofs and their history.

Every attic is different but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Most premium air conditioning units 15 seer or above have two stage compressors or dual compressors and adjustable speed blowers. Account for codes and safety photo by casey dunn. It was left open to the stairwell and library wall for a feeling of spaciousness.

Dormer roofs are the little rooms that project from a roof and allow more space and light in the top floor or attic. Lightweight and doesn t sag. If there are asphalt shingles on your roof the attic must be ventilated to comply with the terms of the manufacturer s warranty. This gives you the best humidity control.

After floorplan illustration by ian worpole. Your actual living space is sealed and insulated at the attic floor the attic is outside this envelope. But a contractor experienced in retrofitting can cleverly hide ductwork behind walls in the back of closets and up in the attic with minimal cuts into walls and the ceiling and very little mess. Adding a dormer provided 100 square feet for the home office located near the top of the stairs.

In my mind circulating air in the attic would accelerate the existing convection currents and help distribute the heat load. These 10 foot long foil wrapped fiberglass panels are cut folded and taped to form four sided ducts. From the exterior however these dormers can sometimes look overwhelming. When extra space is needed upstairs the easiest solution is often to add a wide shed dormer.

Needs no added insulation. As architectural styles have shifted architects and builders have invented more ways to build dormers. Wide shed photo by nancy andrews. Adding to the illusion of small size the top window has smaller panes so it looks farther away.

Here s what you need to know about attics.