Water Leak On Attic Insulation

Both a house and chimney are containers of warm air surrounded by cold air.

Water leak on attic insulation.

In warmer weather you ll find water staining in these same areas. Wet insulation increases the burden on the building itself and over time can lead to warping and other structural damage. This is done with powerful specialized vacuums for blown in insulation or by rolling up batting insulation and placing it into specialized bags for contaminated material. Insulation sits just below the roof s membrane.

In cold weather you may see frosty areas in the insulation caused by warm moist air condensing and freezing as it hits the cold attic air. While in your attic look for areas where the insulation is darkened see photo a result of filtering dusty air from the house. Not getting insulation out to the edges when you re prepping the attic use a broom handle or stick to push the existing insulation out to the edges. Though attics are typically hot and dry a leaky roof or pipe condensation or severe weather can cause water to enter your attic.

Water in your attic can damage wood beams insulation and even. A home energy company has proposed a solution that involves sealing air leaks in the bedroom ceilings attic floor sealing around the chimney weatherizing the attic hatch insulating a few roof areas that the builders missed and adding cellulose to the rest of the attic to bring it up to r 60. Once this is done the existing ventilation is usually more than enough to keep the attic dry. Water leaks occur through roof failure ice dams and water condensation or frost build up inside an attic.

It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow. Water is insulation s enemy. Not sealing attic air leaks first no amount of insulation is going to help if you don t seal your attic properly says olson. The two most common types of insulation fiberglass batts and blown in cellulose loose fill are vulnerable to attic water damage in two specific ways.

Box out light fixtures. With the attic cleared of any obstructions it s time to clean up the old insulation. It is important to stop air leaks because a heated house is much like a chimney. Loss of insulating value.

Rainy weather causes the first type of leak to be discovered. Look for water stains on the roof sheathing or damp or moldy spots on attic joists and existing insulation as a clue to where leaks might be. Insulation in the attic is often the first victim when roof leaks occur or when plumbing pipes routed through the attic leak.