Code requirements vary across the country.
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The irc has permitted unvented conditioned attics since 2006 with certain requirements.
This has several advantages including less air transfer and what air does transfer is conditioned.
The acceptance of unvented conditioned attics continues to grow among builders and building officials.
The thermal boundary can be at the ceiling plane leaving the attic space above uninsulated and vented or the thermal boundary can be located at the roof line creating a sealed insulated conditioned or semi conditioned attic space.
In an unvented attic assembly air impermeable insulation is applied directly to the underside of the structural roof deck and is tied into the insulation located in the walls so that the roof system becomes part of the insulated building enclosure.
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Unvented attics are built with insulation of the attic is placed at the roof level and the area inside the attic is a conditioned space.
After experimenting with cellulose insulated roof assemblies and fiberglass insulated roof assemblies lstiburek began promoting conditioned attics.
The loss of energy efficiency means some designers choose to move the ductwork into the conditioned areas of the home and leave the attics unvented.
Install insulation along the underside of the roof deck of an unvented attic rather than on the ceiling deck of a vented attic for either of two reasons.
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To provide an unvented conditioned space for locating hvac equipment in the attic and or to provide a continuous thermal barrier for designs that have complex coffered ceiling planes and or numerous penetrations for lights speakers vents.
In a roof attic assembly the builder has two choices.
The roof deck in an unvented attic must be exceptionally airtight.
You can reduce dust buildup using an unvented attic versus a vented attic.
The attic space becomes indirectly conditioned as a result of the air leakage heat transfer and.
Department of energy through the building america program to research conditioned attics in nevada and texas.