Causes Of Frost In Attic

Why does frost form in the attic.

Causes of frost in attic.

Can i cure it. What causes frost in your attic. 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. 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.

Frost forms in the attic for one reason heat loss. When the moisture gets into the attic it condenses on the roof. When it reaches the cold surface of the roof sheathing and framing it turns to frost. 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.

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. Heat loss is when warm air and the moisture that joins it from the conditioned living space moves into the attic. The best way to prevent frost from accumulating in an attic is to seal off attic air leaks. 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. That s about it pretty simple. 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.

This frost is the result of warm air rising from the living areas underneath. The attic is meant to be a cool space in the winter. At times there was ice and frost on the nails. Frost in the attic is no different than anywhere else.

Water vapor is migrating upward and eventually filtering into the attic. Ice frost and water in an attic condensation new construction text. Well temperature fluctuations like that are a prime culprit for frost in the attic. Why is there ice in my roof.

The problem in attics is primarily one of quantity. During winter conditions attic frost is a problem associated with attic bypasses. Will it cause any harm. Click the following link for an excellent guide to attic air sealing.

Remember that polar vortex we had not too long ago where we had 70 degree temperature swings in about 48 hours. Boxes stored in the attic were sometimes wet. It is caused by warm moist air coming into contact with cold surfaces and dropping its moisture. 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.

Without proper attic ventilation in your home you could have a considerable amount of frost accumulate in your attic during the cold winter months. What causes this frost.