There’s an increased risk of moisture within a home’s attic space in the Winter months.

If given a route, warm air finds its way into the attic and condenses before it’s able to vent. The cold temperatures then turn this condensation into frost and when weather warms up, it melts and can cause serious damage to the sheathing, roof framing, insulation and living space below.

As a homeowner, it’s also wise to perform your own visual inspection each winter. A ladder and flashlight are the only devices you’ll need to conduct a quick attic check. Lift the attic hatch. The box frame around the hatch will likely show signs of frost or moisture problems if they exist. Next, shine your flashlight into the attic area to see if any frost, moisture or insulation problems present themselves. If you see any problems, contact your home inspector immediately to take a closer look and devise a plan to correct your home’s attic issues.

Don’t climb into the attic and walk around, because it could be dangerous for anyone not familiar with the attic’s structural integrity, knowing how to detect attic frost and ventilation issues is helpful to protecting your family and home.

Get a home maintenance check

As part of all standard home maintenance or pre-inspections, inspectors check for frost and moisture issues in your attic. They may even use thermal imaging to detect cold spots, which are often linked to voids in insulation or moisture in the attic. If left unattended, attic moisture can lead to a lot of problems, the worst of which includes water damage and the formation of mould. Not sure how to get started...askJanine