My Attic Has Frost

In order to eliminate frost build up in the attic space we have to understand what causes it in the first place.

My attic has frost.

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. A patch of frost here and there on the tips of roofing nails poking through the sheathing for instance probably isn t a cause for alarm. Common causes of attic frost. I ve blogged about attic air leaks many times and i ve shared photos of attic air leaks.

Why is there ice in my roof. Frost in your attic space is a sign that warm humid air is somehow getting into your attic space. This is why you see the frost. A point often overlooked is that since it s winter the water freezes on the cold nails.

When the weather warms up the frost will become water droplets and evaporate harmlessly. When the outside temperature rises again the frost thaws water collects and can leak into. Frost gets into the attic from air leaks or attic bypasses. The air in the attic has water in it and it condenses on the cold metal.

Since our minnesota winters are usually dry the only other source of humid air is your living space. During winter conditions attic frost is a problem associated with attic bypasses. Check out my post on moldy attics for some. Left unchecked frost in an attic can lead to serious mold and decay.

But anything more than an occasional patch is.