Water Leak On Attic Insulation

Insulation sits just below the roof s membrane.

Water leak on attic insulation.

Rainy weather causes the first type of leak to be discovered. It is important to stop air leaks because a heated house is much like a chimney. When a leak allows water to seep in through the outer membrane and saturate the insulation below that moisture can deteriorate the roof on multiple fronts. Water is insulation s enemy.

The best way to fix a wet attic is to stop air movement or leaks from the house. 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. At the very least shingles. Water in your attic can damage wood beams insulation and even.

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. Loss of insulating value. Insulation in the attic is often the first victim when roof leaks occur or when plumbing pipes routed through the attic leak. 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.

In warmer weather you ll find water staining in these same areas. While in your attic look for areas where the insulation is darkened see photo a result of filtering dusty air from the house. Not sealing attic air leaks first no amount of insulation is going to help if you don t seal your attic properly says olson. Box out light fixtures.

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. Wet insulation increases the burden on the building itself and over time can lead to warping and other structural damage. It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow. Though attics are typically hot and dry a leaky roof or pipe condensation or severe weather can cause water to enter your attic.

Both a house and chimney are containers of warm air surrounded by cold air. With the attic cleared of any obstructions it s time to clean up the old insulation. 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.