Think about the rooms right below the attic.
Air seal top plates in attic.
Air seal drywall to top plates at all attic wall interfaces to minimize air leakage.
Design walls with top plates.
The photo at left shows a typical one flush drywall on one side and a big gap on the other.
For instance a leak along the top plate of a wall or through holes in the plate may originate at many spots far away at gaps in electric outlets gaps between the drywall and bottom plate of the wall and through the gap at the baseboard wire and pipe holes through bottom plates into the floor cavity between first and second floor and so on.
Top plates are a focal point in almost every energy audit and air sealing job we perform.
Before installing drywall install caulk or other sealant or a foam gasket to the face of the top plate then install the drywall.
The room most likely has drywall walls and ceiling that meet flush together.
But sealing indirect air leaks is always a lot more difficult because there are multiple routes the air can take to reach each leak point in the attic.
Just go up in the attic pull back the insulation and find the top plates.
Install continuous top plates or blocking at the tops of walls adjacent to unconditioned space to minimize air leakage.
Top plates are where a variety of building materials come together.
Scope install continuous top plates or blocking at the tops of walls adjacent to conditioned space to minimize air leakage.
Check out this short energy saving tip with stuart keith from today s home remodeler and brian auman from.
If your home has this kind of air leakage it s easy to find.
What does air sealing top plates in an attic mean.
Air sealing the wall plate around the perimeter of your attic blocks air from escaping around the outer edges of your home.
These are often found in the top plate drop soffits and chases and the volume of conditioned air that escapes through them is equivalent to leaving a window wide open the year round.
Install drywall then seal the seam from the attic side with caulk foam or drywall adhesive but not other construction adhesives.
You are not trying to shove foam down the wall but rather make an air tight cap on top.
Air sealing these holes and gaps will greatly reduce the expensive flow of conditioned air from inside your home to outside.
Top plates are very leaky.
It s usually the hardest place to air seal because the cramped space underneath the eaves where the roof rafters rest on the outer wall makes it hard to move your hands and head.
Air sealing the attic perimeter.
Find electrical wires that are penetrating the ceiling.