Thermal performance of residential attic insulation

Abstract An understanding of the thermal performance of attics is an essential part of studies related to energy conservation in residential buildings. To obtain a better understanding of attics and attic insulation, a series of experiments has been performed on a residential attic under controlled laboratory conditions. Factors that have been studied are type and level of ceiling insulation, mean temperature and heat flow direction (summer vs. winter), and ventilation rate. A description is given of the experimental setup and of the weather conditions that were simulated. Details are given of the mathematical models of thermal performance that were developed from finite difference analyses of the ceiling-insulation system. Experimental results are then compared with the predictions of these models.