Causes Of Frost In Attic

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.

Causes of frost in attic. Why is there ice in my roof. Ice frost and water in an attic condensation new construction text. Boxes stored in the attic were sometimes wet. The problem in attics is primarily one of quantity.

It is a serious problem because the frost turns into water as it dries out and this water will then leak into the home rot out the roof and joists and cause mold to. It is caused by warm moist air coming into contact with cold surfaces and dropping its moisture. At times there was ice and frost on the nails. Will it cause any harm.

Heat loss is when warm air and the moisture that joins it from the conditioned living space moves into the attic. What causes frost in your attic. In one house frost accumulations of up to fifteen hundred pounds were discovered one cold february warm air rising in the house pushes moisture up through cracks in the ceiling. Frost accumulates in attics when moisture laden air from the house gets up there when it s cold.

What you re looking at is evidence of excessive moisture in your house. Without proper attic ventilation in your home you could have a considerable amount of frost accumulate in your attic during the cold winter months. When warm air from inside the house escapes traveling up through the bypasses the moisture condenses on the roof boards and rafters where the frost can form. Frost forms in the attic for one reason heat loss.

Can i cure it. Click the following link for an excellent guide to attic air sealing. This frost is the result of warm air rising from the living areas underneath. Why does frost form in the attic.

Water vapor is migrating upward and eventually filtering into the attic. That s about it pretty simple. During winter conditions attic frost is a problem associated with attic bypasses. This is bad for several reasons.

Last winter i noticed condensation and water droplets on the nails that stick through the roof into the attic. My wife ali and i bought an old house 18 months ago. When the outside temperature rises again the frost thaws water collects and can leak into. Frost in the attic is no different than anywhere else.

The best way to prevent frost from accumulating in an attic is to seal off attic air leaks. The attic is meant to be a cool space in the winter. The humid air in your home rises to the top of your home the attic when the temperature gets too low. When it reaches the cold surface of the roof sheathing and framing it turns to frost.

While seemingly relatively small air leaks may not seem to be important these can add up to a lot of frost accumulation in the attic. What causes this frost.