An attic should be hot in the summer, but it should not feel pressurized, suffocating, and 45°F hotter than the outside air at night. If you pop the hatch and are immediately blasted by a wall of stagnant, unbearable heat, you are suffering from "Hot Attic Syndrome."
The Diagnosis (Lack of Flow)
Clogged Soffits
The vents under your roof eaves (soffits) are designed to suck in cooler outside air. In 80% of Texas homes, poor insulation installation has resulted in the fiberglass overflowing into the eaves, completely blocking the intake vents like a clogged lung.
Dead Turbines
The metal "whirlybird" turbines on the roof exhaust the rising heat. Bearings rust out. If the turbines are frozen or absent, the 150°F heat becomes pressurized and is forced back down through your ceiling into the living room.
During an insulation upgrade, we hammer rigid foam panels (baffles) into the eaves. This forces a 2-inch permanent air gap above the insulation, physically guaranteeing the soffit lungs remain open and clear, allowing the roof to aggressively vent the heat outward.