Water vapor is migrating upward and eventually filtering into the attic.
Causes of frost in 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.
What causes this frost.
During winter conditions attic frost is a problem associated with attic bypasses.
Well temperature fluctuations like that are a prime culprit for frost in the attic.
This frost is the result of warm air rising from the living areas underneath.
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.
What you re looking at is evidence of excessive moisture in your house.
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.
Last winter i noticed condensation and water droplets on the nails that stick through the roof into the attic.
Why does frost form in the attic.
Why is there ice in my roof.
When the moisture gets into the attic it condenses on the roof.
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.
When the outside temperature rises again the frost thaws water collects and can leak into.
Boxes stored in the attic were sometimes wet.
My wife ali and i bought an old house 18 months ago.
Frost forms in the attic for one reason heat loss.
This is bad for several reasons.
The humid air in your home rises to the top of your home the attic when the temperature gets too low.
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.
What causes frost in your attic.
Without proper attic ventilation in your home you could have a considerable amount of frost accumulate in your attic during the cold winter months.
Can i cure it.
That s about it pretty simple.
Will it cause any harm.
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.
Remember that polar vortex we had not too long ago where we had 70 degree temperature swings in about 48 hours.
Click the following link for an excellent guide to attic air sealing.
The best way to prevent frost from accumulating in an attic is to seal off attic air leaks.
Frost accumulates in attics when moisture laden air from the house gets up there when it s cold.
The attic is meant to be a cool space in the winter.
Ice frost and water in an attic condensation new construction text.
The problem in attics is primarily one of quantity.
