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Jan 28, 2018
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Frost in Your Attic? Common Causes, Fixes & Frost Prevention

We’ve noticed a significant uptick in homeowners reaching out to us because they’re experiencing significant amounts of frost in their attics during the winter months.  Their biggest questions are why this is happening and what, if anything, can be done.  Here’s what you need to know about this problematic issue showing up in attics all over the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin.

What Causes Frost In Attics?

Frost begins to compile when moist air travels to a home’s attic.  Once this occurs, it compresses to form frost.  Simply put, humidity can cause moisture in your attic.  There are a variety of ways this can happen, but one of the easiest is a bath exhaust fan that vents to the attic instead of outdoors.  Even with this in place, it’s important for bathroom vent fans to run for a minimum of thirty minutes after a member of your family takes a bath or shower.  This is the very least amount of time it takes for the moisture level in a home to return to their regular state.  Another way a home’s humidity levels can climb dangerously high is through the use of a whole home humidity system.  When cooking, run your exhaust fan to cut back on humidity levels.  Basements and crawl spaces built sans vapor barrier prove problematic as well.  Learn more about what causes frost in attics.

attic frost

Moisture In Your Attic In The Winter Causes Damage When It Thaws

The real threat of frost in attics begins when it thaws.  As it thaws, it saturates the area around it causing damage.  Some examples include wet insulation, mold & mildew formation, and water-stained ceilings.

How To Fix Frost In Attics With Attic Bypass Sealing

To tackle this problem, attic air sealing is needed.  Areas that should be targeted are attic bypasses.  If you’re unfamiliar with this term, it refers to the parts of your home that permit warm air to filter into your attic because they skip contact with your insulation.  Examples include recessed lighting, electrical outlets and switch plates, and vents.  These bypasses can allow substantial amounts of moist, warm air into the attic.

Learn more fast facts about air sealing your attic.

Frost Home Inspection + How A Home Performance Test Can Help

A blower door is a robust fan that is mounted in the frame of one of your front door. The fan is used to pull air out of your home and lower interior air pressure.  When this is done, exterior air can flow through any unsealed cracks and openings that exist in the home. A smoke pencil helps identify areas that need to be addressed.  The utilization of a FLIR Infrared Imager allows for thermographic scans of your home to be taken.  These scans can measure surface temperatures by using infrared video.  This test in tandem with a blower door test, identifies air leaks by displaying them as black streaks on the infrared imager.  An infrared imager can also help detect roof leaks because wet insulation conducts heat faster than dry insulation.

See How Our Team Completes A Home Performance Test:

Check Out Some of Our Insulation Projects:

See What Homeowners Think Of Our Insulation Work:

"Thanks again for the great job on the spray foam."

Todd B.
Plymouth, MN
August 26, 2022

"Thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty to help me out.  Your expertise made all the difference in helping me resolve my house projects!"

Patricia M.
Bloomington, MN
August 19, 2022

“Thank you to the entire team for the outstanding job on the insulation job of my 100-year-old home!  Eric took the time to walk me through the entire process and even came back a second time to sort out venting questions.  Project manager, Randall, made sure the insulation installed met your quality standards.  Every member of your team worked very hard and didn’t end their day until the job was done right.  I look forward to energy savings and no critters in my attic!”

Pat M.
Bloomington, MN
July 26, 2022

"Eric is great. We used him on my mom’s house for several projects: new doors, windows, re-insulating the inside of the roof in upstairs bedrooms, tearing down & rebuilding the garage. My sister also used Eric to install LeafGuard® on her own house, build her a new deck, and install a metal roof. We recently had a meeting to discuss building a new deck for me, to replace the old one. We will be using no-maintenance materials, so no more sanding, staining, painting."

James N.
Minneapolis, MN
July 20, 2022

"We used Lindus for a rather complicated attic re-insulation project. They are highly competent and do great work!"

Leon P.
White Bear Lake, MN
July 16, 2022

"The crew did a great job - and cleaned up every day! Love that. Very courteous and explained everything."

Janis H.
Hammond, WI
May 21, 2022
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