How to make an attic less hot?

Author: Leone Emmerich  |  Last update: Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Install electric ventilators and attic fans, which remove hot air from an attic. They have thermostats that turn the fan on at a recommended preset temperature of 100-110 degrees. Alternatively, install passive vents such as gable, soffit and ridge vents, which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape.

How do I reduce the heat in my attic?

Add a few fans

Fans are an easy and affordable way to reduce heat in your attic, as they help to create a draft and make the room feel cooler. Switching on a few electric fans for an hour or two a day helps the air circulate through the room, eventually pushing the hot air out.

How can I cool my attic cheaply?

Here are several easy and affordable ways to cool your attic and cut down on your energy costs over time.
  1. Pull the heat out of your attic with an attic fan. ...
  2. Reflect the heat away with EcoFoil® Attic Insulation. ...
  3. Ventilate your attic with ridge vents.

How do you cool a hot attic room?

How to Cool Down a Loft Room
  1. Install a Solar Attic Fan. These are relatively new and sustainable solutions. ...
  2. Radiant Barrier Insulation. This is a type of insulation that reflects radiant heat, rather than absorbing it. ...
  3. Geothermal Cooling. ...
  4. Thermal Mass Cooling. ...
  5. Green Roofs. ...
  6. Cool Roofs. ...
  7. Smart Vents. ...
  8. Ventilate Your Attic.

Why is my attic super hot?

One of the primary reasons for hot attic spaces is due to poor ventilation. Without adequate airflow, hot air gets trapped, causing temperatures to soar.

5 Ways how to Cool your Attic

How hot is an attic on a 90 degree day?

Note excessive heat – if it's 90 degrees outside, the attic temperature shouldn't be more than 110 degrees. More often than not, attic temperatures will be in excess of 125 degrees on a 90 degree day. This will overwork your air conditioning equipment, run up your utility bill and shorten the life of your roof.

Is a hot attic a fire hazard?

These essential systems can occasionally overheat and catch fire. The danger is more severe in the summer when your attic is already really hot. Dust and other debris build up in the ducts of these systems, adding to the likelihood and speed of a fire spreading.

How do you push hot air out of an attic?

Install electric ventilators and attic fans, which remove hot air from an attic. They have thermostats that turn the fan on at a recommended preset temperature of 100-110 degrees. Alternatively, install passive vents such as gable, soffit and ridge vents, which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape.

Does putting fan in attic help cool?

If you have an attic fan, you can cool down the rest of your house. The best part is that you don't have to keep your fan running all the time. If you only use the attic fan during the hottest part of the day, you can reduce the temperature in your attic by up to 50 degrees.

Can a hot attic affect air conditioning?

Hot attics steal away capacity from your system, which robs efficiency and wreaks havoc on your comfort. Utility bills soar, while air quality plummets. Your system runs much longer, and works way, way harder than it needs to, which results in a lot more wear & tear, plus greater frequency of breakdowns.

Does putting a box fan in the attic help?

The primary function of attic fans is to promote airflow within the attic, which can help reduce temperature and moisture levels and provide several valuable benefits.

How to vent an attic properly?

Rafter vents should be placed in your attic ceiling in between the rafters at the point where your attic ceiling meets your attic floor. Once they are in place, you can then place the batts or blankets, or blow insulation, right out to the very edge of the attic floor.

Does opening an attic cool a house?

Opening your loft hatch can indeed help cool your house, especially when used in combination with other cooling methods. It's a simple, cost-effective way to improve air circulation and reduce indoor temperatures during hot weather.

Does attic breeze work?

Insulation Works Better

Attic Breeze helps extend the life of your attic insulation by continuously removing attic heat and moisture throughout the day. By lowering the average temperature in the attic, your insulation actually works better and becomes more effective at reducing heat transfer into your home.

Why is my attic cold in the summer?

The exfiltration of warm interior air through your attic and the infiltration of cold outside air through your basement or crawl space could be to blame. Due to your attic's location at the top of your house, it can be a major location for energy loss, especially if you lack sufficient insulation.

Can you put an AC unit in the attic?

Installing an air conditioner in a home's attic can be an efficient way to save money on installation costs. By utilizing the attic space, homeowners don't need to create additional space for the AC unit and its components, such as ductwork and vents, which can be a costly exercise.

How can I cool my attic easily?

There's a wealth of advice on how to cool an attic, such as getting passive vents like ridge vents and switching to a light-colored metal roof. But the big four hot attic solutions are: installing a radiant barrier, attic insulation, attic ventilation, and sealing cracks & air leaks.

Why don't people use attic fans anymore?

Why are attic fans not used anymore? Due to inefficiencies in relying on existing attic vents for air intake, attic fans have lost popularity. These vents often aren't designed for this purpose, resulting in inadequate replacement air supply.

What is the alternative to an attic fan?

In addition to being visually unobtrusive, ridge vents are also typically cheaper than other forms of attic ventilation. They rely entirely on the natural movement of hot and cold air, making them cheaper to install and operate than new electrical attic fans.

How do I get rid of excess heat in my attic?

To deal with heat in the attic, consider adding extra vents and a roof exhaust to improve air circulation, and installing a solar fan for more active heat reduction.

How hot is an attic on a 100 degree day?

Thanks to the radiant heat affect, attic temperatures on a 100-degree day can reach 170 degrees or more.

Should an attic fan push or pull air?

These fans draw air from the attic and send it outdoors. In theory, the air is then replaced by outdoor air, creating a healthy cycle of airflow. If the outdoor air is cooler, then it stands to reason that the home will be cooler because of this cycle.

What if my attic is too hot?

If your attic is too hot it can affect the energy performance around your entire home. Not only can this have an impact on your comfort levels, but it can also lead to higher energy bills. Heat in the attic can be a contributing factor to harmful mold growth.

How do most attic fires start?

Electrical malfunction is the leading cause of residential building attic fires (43 percent), followed by natural fires (16 percent). A third of all residential building attic fires spread to involve the entire building.

Can I put stuff in my attic?

Before using your attic for storage, consider what items you plan to store. Anything temperature-sensitive, like electronics or items that can warp, melt, or freeze, should be kept out of the attic. Additionally, dampness can be an issue in an attic, so avoid storing items that could be damaged by high humidity levels.

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