Basement, Crawlspaces & Attics: The Heart and Lungs of your Home!
Wonder how we got our name, The Breathable Home? Here is your answer. Breathability in basements, attics, and crawlspaces is critical to managing moisture, air quality, and energy efficiency throughout the home. These often-overlooked spaces are key entry points for unwanted air, mold, and pollutants—and when poorly sealed or insulated, they can drastically undermine comfort and drive up energy costs. Ensuring these areas are properly ventilated, sealed, and protected allows the home to breathe in a controlled, healthy way year-round.
Basements and crawlspaces are often out of sight, but they’re truly the heart of the home’s comfort and health. After 20 years of seeing so many homes, the basement or crawl space is where we want to look first. We worry about water intrusion, exposed dirt, and radon-all of which come from the ground. In the winter, cold air sneaks in through rim joists and cracks. In summer, warm, humid air can lead to condensation and mold. A lot is going on! Maine is one of the hardest places to have a home, and care needs to be taken in maintaining how we are anchored to the ground.
Attics are one of the biggest sources of energy loss in winter, and one that we discuss the most. Rightly so. Warm air is lighter than cold air and therefore rises and escapes through gaps and under-insulated ceilings in the winter. However, in the summer, that same attic can superheat and radiate heat downward, making your entire home feel hotter and forcing your heat pumps to work overtime. Therefore, instead of saying “heat rises,” a more accurate way to describe it is that it moves from hot to cold. So, if it’s warmer inside, it wants to escape, and if it’s hotter outside, it pushes in. That’s why air sealing and insulating the attic is so essential. It’s your home’s top defense against both winter heat loss and summer heat gain. By addressing the “feet” and the “head” of the home, we can see drastic reductions in energy bills and an increase in comfort and health.
Don’t let your basement, attic, or crawlspace quietly sabotage your comfort and energy bills. These hidden zones play a big role in your home’s air quality, moisture control, and overall efficiency. Reach out today to learn how proper sealing, insulation, and ventilation can transform your home into a healthier, more breathable space—all year long. Contact us now for a breathable home!
