Frost Inside My Attic

Inside old house web.

Frost inside my attic.

Water is bad when it gets inside your house. Common causes of attic frost. Remember the last hot and humid day you were sitting outside drinking a cold beer iced tea soda or glass of ice water. Frost on nails is frozen condensation.

There was also frost on the west wall on the north side of the dormer where the sun doesn t get to it this time of year. Attic insulation is in the floor of the attic rather than the roof. The rafters are exposed. Frost gets into the attic from air leaks or attic bypasses.

Common problems and solutions. 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. Since our minnesota winters are usually dry the only other source of humid air is your living space. There is no snow on the roof.

During winter conditions attic frost is a problem associated with attic bypasses. If it is anywhere other than the sink toilet tub or washer it is going to cause problems. Frost in your attic space is a sign that warm humid air is somehow getting into your attic space. When the outside temperature rises again the frost thaws water collects and can leak into.

It s important to realize frost is in your attic for a few reasons. I get endless questions about frost in the attic. I was up in the unfinished attic of my old house and noticed frost on the underside of the roof sheathing and also on some of the rafters. The homeowner said last week there were icicles hanging off the nails inside the attic.

In order to eliminate frost build up in the attic space we have to understand what causes it in the first place. Check out my post on moldy attics for some. I ve blogged about attic air leaks many times and i ve shared photos of attic air leaks.