Frost and ice forms in attics when warm, humid air accumulates and condenses on the underside of your roof sheathing. Depending on the temperature, and the insolation (ie. can sun get to the roof) you will have either frost or water collecting. A little bit of frost forming is not unusual after really low nighttime temperatures, and it isn't a huge problem if it is able to melt and evaporate so that the wood can dry.
Is it normal to see frost in the attic?
The straight-forward answer is that a little frost seen in a Canadian attic in the dead of winter is nothing to panic about. Sticking my head into hundreds of attics every year, I see lots where there is stained, wet or slightly frosty sheathing or rafters.
How does frost form in the attic?
The humid air in your home rises to the top of your home (the attic) when the temperature gets too low. Then the air condensates on the wood of the interior of your roof, which is the coldest part of the attic. Then, it freezes against the wood and all of a sudden you have frost.
When is it time to take action about Frost in Attic?
The difference between these two examples is that the fan issue needs to be dealt with, as you have done, but the others may not In short, if you see moderate to large areas of very thick frost in your attic, then action may be needed.
Is attic frost causing your water damage?
Now with the warm-up this week, we’ve been hearing from a lot of homeowners with water damage. This post is largely a re-blog of my last post on attic frost, but that was from 2013 and it’s time for a reminder about all of this. To start, frost accumulates when moisture-laden air from the house gets into the attic. That’s about it, pretty simple.
Is it normal to have some frost in your attic?
In fact, many homeowners don't realize that frost buildup in your attic is even possible. However, in older homes, it is a fairly common problem and can cause serious damage to your home.
How do I get rid of frost in my attic?
Additional roof vents allow more air to escape from the attic and that pulls more warm moist air from the house into the attic. The real solution is to have Houle Insulation seal off your attic bypasses and install adequate levels of insulation. This should eliminate frost from accumulating in your attic.
Is attic supposed to be cold in winter?
Your attic temperature should be at or near the outside air temperature if it is well ventilated and does not leak warm air into the attic from below. At the moment the attic floor is properly insulated, and has a 3/4 plywood floor on top of that.
What signs could indicate chronic condensation problems in an attic?
There are a few signs to look for when trying to determine if you have an attic condensation problem:Signs water has (or is) trickling down the walls.Musky, damp odor.Mold.Rust.Dark stains.Damp or wet insulation.Damp or wet wood.Water marks on the floor.More items...•
What does frost on the roof mean?
Frost Ghosting This is a very visual sign that you are losing heat through your roof. The lines where the frost has not melted is where the rafter system is touching the roof sheathing on the inside. Typically, in stick-built homes, batt insulation is placed directly above the ceiling.
Is condensation in the loft normal?
It's normal for lofts to experience some condensation, especially during periods of cold weather, but it should be adequately vented so the moisture soon clears.
Should I leave my attic door open during a freeze?
You don't want to leave the hatch to an attic open because all your heated air will get sucked into the attic. But it's a good idea to leave the doors open below a sink if you worry those pipes could freeze. The warm air from you home will heat the space below the sink and help protect those pipes.
How can I make my attic warmer?
How Can I Keep My Attic Warm In The Winter?Block windows. Just like you'd use heavy drapes to block the cold in your living room, it's necessary to cover areas where leaks promote temperature shifts. ... Insulate the space. ... Extend your ductwork.
What temperature should an attic be in winter?
Your attic is a cold zone – that means that it should be the same temperature as the outside air. By letting heat escape freely from your home into the attic, and having cool air from the outside meet in the middle you may have a problem.
How do I keep my attic dry in the winter?
Many times, air conditioning units in the attic are not being used. Warm air can rise up into the ducts and cause moisture and mold issues in the attic and in the ducting. I recommend closing the vents and even sealing them with tape and plastic or magnetic sheets.
How do I test my attic for moisture?
Fortunately, you should be able to gauge moisture levels in your attic via a visual inspection. If there's condensation on attic windows or surfaces are wet to the touch, the humidity of your attic is too high. Colored spots, musty odors and other signs of mold can also be detected with simple observation.
Is attic condensation covered by insurance?
Simply put, the insurance industry should cover the cost of attic ventilation when paying for storm-damaged roofs knowingly lacking balanced attic ventilation.
What Causes Frost in Your Attic
Remember that polar vortex we had not too long ago – where we had 70-degree temperature swings in about 48 hours? Well, temperature fluctuations like that are a prime culprit for frost in the attic.
The Issue With Frost In Your Attic
Once the air becomes frost, the next step is for it to start thawing when the temperature goes up again. The next thing you know, your roof appears to be leaking.
How to Mitigate Frost in Your Attic And Home
For starters, try not to run your humidifier in the winter if you can help it. This can help to avoid the humid air buildup in your attic. Another small thing you can do is run your ventilation fan a little longer after taking a shower to get all that humidity out of your home.
Contact Northface Construction to Keep Frost Out of Your Attic For Good
We’ve been helping homeowners keep their homes in prime condition for quite some time now. If you are worried about frost in your attic, give us a call at (763) 600-7916 and one of our knowledgable home experts will come to your home to check things out.
What causes ice in attics?
Attic ice problems happen when there's a combination of 3 issues with a home's building envelope - and the thing that most often alerts home owners that a problem exists is a wet patch in the drywall on the edge of ceilings or the top of walls during the spring thaw. Most homeowners assume they have a roof problem like a leak, that maybe their roof covering has been damaged over winter, but it probably isn't if the problem wasn't there before. Ironically, in our experience, ice often forms in the attic after DIY roof insulation projects where new insulation covers up ventilation access. If you discover you have ice in the attic, the 3 things to check first are:
How does ice form in the attic?
Frost and ice forms in attics when warm, humid air accumulates and condenses on the underside of your roof sheathing. Depending on the temperature, and the insolation (ie. can sun get to the roof) you will have either frost or water collecting. A little bit of frost forming is not unusual after really low nighttime temperatures, ...
Why do we need attic ventilation?
Attic ventilation is essential to prevent ice in roofs, be certain that your roof ventilation is able to do its job.
What is it called when you have a roof leak?
When a warm sunny day arrives after a long cold stretch and it seems like you have a roof leak when there isn't a cloud in the sky, it's probably Attic Icing, otherwise known as Ice Dams or Ice Damming, and the surprising thing is that it's very unlikely that the roof covering itself is the problem.
Why do homes have ice dams?
Many homes in the northern parts of the US and Canada suffer from ice accumulation in attics, but homeowners often ignore it unless it causes a huge problem - mostly because they aren't aware it's happening until there's an issue - a lot like the ice monster that forms in the top of the freezer if the seal is defective - ice dams are caused by warm and relatively humid air leaking from inside a home into an insufficiently ventilated roof space, condensing , and forming ice.
How to reduce humidity in a house?
You can reduce humidity by remembering to use bathroom and kitchen fans when showering and cooking, run a dehumidifier in the basement if needed, and don't hang laundry to dry indoors, unless of course your humidity is down around the 30% RH level then go for it. It will save some dryer energy and a little more humidity will make for a more comfortable living space. If you have high humidity problems in the home, here's the guides on how to fix it and if condensation on the windows is a problem and needs fixing, here's the guide for that.
What is the best humidity for a house?
1. High humidity in homes. First of all, if the relative humidity of air in your home is too high, work to lower it. Anything over 50% RH is a bit much; 35-40% or so is good for humans and houses alike. The more humid the conditioned space of your home is, the more condensation you will probably have in the home, and also have in the attic.
How does frost get into the attic?
Frost gets into the attic from air leaks, or attic bypasses. I’ve blogged about attic air leaks many times, and I’ve shared photos of attic air leaks; check out my post on moldy attics for some good examples of attic bypasses. Next week’s blog post will be all about air leaks as well. Of course, any type of exhaust fan needs to be exhausted directly to the exterior, and never into the attic. Even if the exhaust fan is aimed at a roof vent, this isn’t good enough. A lot of moist air will still find it’s way back into the attic.
What about more roof vents?
Meh. Focus on all the other stuff listed above first. Proper ventilation in the attic may reduce frost accumulation, but if done wrong, simply adding more roof vents might actually make for more frost. Ventilation is surely not the problem.
Why does the air in my house see my chimney?
With all other factors being equal, the air in your house sees your house as a very wide chimney, because warm air rises. The trend is to have air leaving the house at the top and entering the house at the bottom. The taller the house, the greater this effect. Split level homes with more than one attic space will always have the worst attic problems in the uppermost attic.
