Roofs And Attics

Roof attic structure water stains were found under the chimney this is caused from a flashing leak around the exterior of the chimney.

Roofs and attics.

An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building. Rising as it warms air flows up from the eaves and out of ridge or gable vents carrying off moisture that may have migrated from living spaces. The attic is a great place to find evidence of roof leaks especially if you ve already seen potential problems on the roof. Here are four signs of an unventilated or under ventilated attic.

Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult to reach corners. The exception is older shake roofs. Insulating your roof and attic space will help retain energy in your home often leading to cost savings and comfort improvement. Water stains found in the attic are common because there is always a small amount of water that will enter thru a roof vent or a ridge vent.

If you can see out water may be able to find its way in. Assessments in addition to checking for structural problems check the condition of the roof framing sheathing finish and the soffit and fascia for signs of moisture problems such as leaks stains mould flaking or rot. Learn about the benefits prop. You can sometimes see daylight through them without finding signs of leakage.

An attic may also be called a sky parlor or a garret. Look at your eaves and roof. While some attics are converted into bedrooms home offices or attic apartments complete with windows and staircases most remain. It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow.

Box out light fixtures. Silverboard is a high density rigid insulation board that can be used for attics and roofs. That keeps your attic dry and reduces ice dams. Attics or roofs without a working space are covered later in this chapter in section 5 4 cramped attics cathedral ceilings and flat roofs.

Your roof vents may not look anything like the ones shown in this article. After you air seal openings in the attic floor and cover it with an appropriate amount of insulation nature does the rest. When the board edges are taped it can function as a vapor barrier eliminating the need for a dedicated membrane. Insulating in and around your roof attic space also prevents long term damage from moisture build up or ice damming which results from the warm air trying to escape through the apex of the roof but instead heating up the snow.

Water is insulation s enemy. Every home has a roof but is every roof properly ventilated to prevent premature roof deterioration or roofing system failure. If you don t see any attic vents on the roof or in the eaves you need to add some.