Frost Unheated Attic Wall
This winter i hav seen water run out of wall assemblies with fibreglass batting in the framing and rigid foam board on the exterior of the sheathing.
Frost unheated attic wall. Should i do anything about my attic ventilation. This horizontal layer has to extend throughout the building area outward also. There is no form of vertical insulation provided. My husband says cold air is coming through the outside soffit and there is no way to insulate this.
For severe climes opt for wrapping problem pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape from 50 to 200 depending on length which will turn on at. 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. There is also a vapor barrier over the insulation. I have seen mega frost in attics where r40 light density fibreglass was on the attic floor and the tegular mushroom vnets and or ridge vents were covered with snow.
Often inexpensive foam pipe insulation is enough for moderately cold climates. I have an old home built in 1922 and i reinsulated the attic this fall. What can we do. Victorian home much thanks.
Attics with pull down attic stairs should have attic stair insulation covers installed. There is also an electrical switch with frost on the screw heads on that wall. The final step is attic ventilation. That s about it pretty simple.
If the attic has blown in cellulose check to see if there is a vapor barrier and confirm the cellulose insulation is spread evenly throughout the attic floor. Frost accumulates in attics when moisture laden air from the house gets up there when it s cold. When the moisture gets into the attic it condenses on the roof. The garage is unheated and the walls ceiling are insulated.
When the outside temperature rises again the frost thaws water collects and can leak into. This type of frost wall won t work for an unheated building type. The common solutions to this ice problem are to use a higher powered fan use a larger diameter shorter duct run and wrap the pipe with better duct insulation. I m having problems with frost forming on the roof sheathing in my unheated attic.
I sealed all the attic bypasses i could find and stapled down plastic sheets between the joists before blowing in loosefill cellulose. Should we be concerned. But plumbing pipes in an unheated area such as an attic crawl space and garage are at risk of freezing. Attic vapor barrier detail for cold climates the best approach for a vented attic in a cold climate is installing a layer of drywall with a good coat of latex paint the paint creates a semi permeable vapor barrier.
And it would not add to much weight to attic size is 550 sq.