If you have a roof leak in the winter months and it s not being caused by ice dam there may be another culprit.
Condensation in attic in winter.
Warm air simply holds more water vapor than cold air.
If there is excessive moisture accumulation in your attic it will condense on cold areas mainly on the underside of your roof deck.
As warm and moist air comes into contact with the cool underside of the roof condensation occurs.
What causes water condensation.
This isn t usually a problem.
In the winter the condensation will form frost and in the summer this condensation can grow mold.
This is not just a little condensation on the vents.
Looking for signs of moisture.
Our main concern in the winter is moisture.
Heating your home produces warm air that rises and if it seeps into the attic space the frost will melt and appear as condensation.
The warmer i set the heat the worse the condensation.
The most common cause of ceiling condensation is an attic with too little insulation and ventilation.
During extremely cold weather frost can accumulate in your attic.
In an attic like this wintertime ceiling condensation can form when cold air from the attic hits your warm ceiling.
The conditions that cause ice dams often cause attic condensation too.
Attic condensation generally happens during winter spring months when warm moist air from the main living area rises into the attic space.
The ducts will actually fill with gallons of water.
If it s cold outside and warm air from indoors makes it to the underside of your cold roof this air begins to decrease in temperature and releases it s moisture content along the way.
In the winter attic condensation often turns into frost which actually doesn t pose any threat.
Attic condensation most commonly occurs when warm moist air from other areas in the home rises into the attic space.
So my roof isn t leaking.
During the winter months the recommended relative humidity inside a house is anywhere between 30 50 percent.
The first signs of a condensation problem in your attic might show up during a re shingle on your roof.
You may pay an ice dam removal company to melt the ice dam off your roof only for the leaking to continue.
A silent cause of winter roof leaks.
If there are signs of rot on the roof sheathing then there has been prolonged moisture in the attic.
The ducts are all now insulated to code replaced some to bring up to code and the metal registers in attic are all low e wrapped and spray foamed.
When that warm moist air meets the chilly underside of your roof s deck condensation occurs.