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Triple master contractor Ed Del Grande
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By Ed Del Grande
Q: Hey, Ed, I'm a contractor dealing with a crazy problem here in Idaho. I have a client with an attic that develops frost and ice on the inside 2x8 supports for the roof. It actually hangs down with icicles and looks like a cave! I added extra insulation and even another roof vent last year, but this year the same thing happened! What else could this be? Bill (Idaho)
A: Bill, first off the only way ice can form inside a house is if there is moisture present, so you were on the right track adding the roof vent. However, what you need to do is trace down the source of the moisture to solve this problem. Cut off the moisture to the attic, and you stop the ice.
A common mistake that I have seen over the years is that many houses have the bathroom fans dumping straight into the attic instead of being piped outside the house with a duct hose. Bathrooms are very moist places in the winter, especially after a hot shower has been run for a while. If all that moisture is vented directly into the attic, that may be your problem. To solve it, simply trace the location of the present bathroom fan ducts and vent them to the outside of the house.
Remember, this is just one guess of what could be a few issues going on. Like a good detective, it's up to you to trace out the moisture problem or problems and dry out that attic before the homeowner ends up with a sponge for a ceiling!
Ed Del Grande was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.
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