3 Reasons to Minimize Moisture Levels in your Attic

Unless you have converted your attic into an additional living area for your home, there is a good chance that you and the members of your household spend little if any time in this space. Despite the fact that the attic in your home may remain unused for years, save for storing a few boxes, it is vitally important to control the environment in this space in terms of both temperature and moisture levels. Here are three examples of problems that can be caused by excessive heat and/or moisture in an uncontrolled attic:

1) Weakened insulation – Moisture that enters the attic through the roof or is trapped due to a lack of ventilation can create a variety of problems, but one that doesn’t get a lot of attention is that moisture can drastically reduce the effectiveness of insulation by allowing heat to radiate through it rather than being blocked. If you have ever burned your fingers when pulling a hot pan out of the oven with a wet kitchen mitt, you’ve seen how quickly heat travels through wet insulation.  

2)  An environment suited for the growth of mold and mildew – Moisture that leaks into a dark, warm attic, or is trapped there, creates an environment that is perfect for the growth of mold and mildew. While the odor of mildew is basically considered to be an inconvenience, the spores emitted from black mold can cause a variety of respiratory and other health issues. A humid attic environment can also foster wet and dry rot, which will steadily weaken the home’s framing as well as the structures that support the roof.  

3) The potential for the formation of ice dams – High levels of moisture in the attic may be an indication that warm air is condensing as it rises and comes in contact with the cold surface of the ceiling or the underside of the roof deck. In this situation, the heat from the attic will radiate through the roof deck at a temperature that is warm enough to melt accumulated snow, which then runs down the roof and re-freezes on the eaves to form a ledge along the edge of the roof that grows in size over time. Referred to as an ice dam, this ledge will trap water and back it up under the roofing materials and then leak into the structure.       

Controlling temperature and moisture in the attic requires three steps; preventing leaks, installing insulation, and adding ventilation. By combining these steps, the temperature and moisture levels in the attic can be controlled with results that include energy savings, a mildew/mold free environment, and a long-lasting roof that requires few if any repairs over its lifetime. 

The Basics of Insulation and Why you Need to Install it Now

One of the inevitabilities of the cold months of winter is that the heating bills will suddenly take up a noticeable percentage of the monthly cost of running the household. There are numerous ways to mitigate your heating bill, such as bundling up with an extra layer or two and setting the thermostat a little lower, but when it’s truly cold you’ll still need to warm the house, an action that might be heating the outdoors as well if you don’t have insulation. If your near term plan is to keep more heat inside your home, here is some of the terminology you’re likely to come across as you learn the basics of insulation.

• R-value – The “R” in R-value stands for resistance to the transmission of heat, with progressively increasing numbers representing higher levels of insulation. Recommended R-values will vary depending on a variety of factors including average temperatures in the local area, with frigid temperatures calling for higher R-values than moderate climates. Another factor in determining the optimal R-value for insulation is the area in the house where it will be installed. In most structures, the greatest amount of heat is lost through the roof, necessitating the highest R-value for insulation in the attic (anywhere from R-30 to R-49). At the other end of the spectrum, an insulation rating of R-15 will likely suffice for a basement.
• Batts – This insulation comes in rolls cut to standard widths between studs and joists with R-values that are limited by the type of wall. For example, insulation with R-values of R-13 to R-15 can be installed on 2 by 4 inch walls while a 2 by 6 inch wall can handle R-values from R-19 to R-21. The ease of rolling out this form of insulation makes it a popular choice for do-it-yourself projects. 
• Loose-fill – This type of insulation can be made from fiberglass or cellulose and is blown in to place by pneumatic equipment designed specifically for that purpose. This type of insulation is ideal for use with non-standard framing widths as well as in spaces that have pipes and ducts running through them, all of which can make using rolled insulation impossible.
• Closed cell insulation – This type is insulation is typically made with polyurethane and is blown into place. The foam is high in density and each cell is closed, filled with gas, and engineered to mold to the shape of the space. Its ability to fill challenging areas with dense foam and its high R-value makes closed cell insulation a great choice when the objective is to retain as much heat as possible in the structure.           

According to the Department of Energy, a well-insulated home can reduce heating bills by up to 50 percent. At this level of savings, adding insulation to your home will quickly turn into an investment that saves a significant amount of money every winter.

Your Attic: Three Steps that can Save Energy and Protect your Roof

While you may spend little or no time at all thinking about your attic, this space may be costing you money in terms of heating and cooling bills and may be the root cause of different forms of roof damage. If you haven’t inspected or made any changes to this space for an extended period of time, there are three steps you can take now that can reduce your utility bills and help to prevent expensive roof repairs.

           Sealing cracks and gaps – Cracks in your drywall and gaps in and around roof penetrations such as the chimney and vents let warm air escape on cold days while letting heat in when it’s warm outside, placing added demands on your climate control systems with a result being higher energy bills. The reason for warm air escaping when you’re trying to contain it and seeping in when you’re trying to keep it out is that warm air has higher pressure behind it and is drawn to areas of low pressure and colder air. By sealing areas in your attic that are currently allowing the transfer of heat, the demands on your heating and cooling systems will be reduced as will your energy bills.

          Installing insulation – The transfer of heat in and out of the house can also occur through solid materials that are not insulated. For example, in the summer, direct sunlight on the roof can raise temperatures in an un-insulated attic to between 130 and 150 degrees, which can increase the cost of cooling the house by up to 30 percent. In winter, the transfer of heat reverses from the inside of the home to the outside, which can increase heating costs by 20 to 30 percent. Installing insulation can drastically reduce the transfer of heat in both directions and save money throughout the year.

       Ventilating the space – Adding ventilation may seem somewhat counter-intuitive after sealing and insulating the attic, but taking this step can mitigate a variety of issues including the trapping of moisture in humid environments and the concentration of warm air under high points in the attic. Reducing moisture levels can prevent the onset of mold and mildew while dispersing heat across the entirety of the space can eliminate hot spots on under the roof, which can lead to the uneven melting of snow leading to the formation of ice dams.

These steps can minimize the transfer of heat in and out of the house, saving on energy bills while also protecting your roof. As an added benefit, once these steps are completed there will be little in the way of follow up work, meaning that you can go back to not thinking about your attic except for the occasional inspection to make sure everything is in working order.

The Downside of those Pretty Icicles

While winter scenes with icicles hanging from the eaves of amber-lit homes have sold plenty of Thomas Kinkade prints, the reality of these ice formations is that they may be indicating some problems underneath the accumulation of snow on the eaves. Specifically, icicles hanging from the roof indicate the formation of an ice dam, which is formed by an imbalance of temperatures on different areas of the roof.

Ice dams start with an accumulation of snow on a rooftop. Heat escaping from the interior of the structure then starts melting the snow, which runs down the roof toward the eaves which, due to their extension past the exterior wall, are not exposed to radiating warmth. If the surface of the eaves is cold enough, the snowmelt re-freezes upon contact and starts building a bank of ice that traps water that collects on the warmer area of the roof, hence the name “ice dam”. In situations where the amount of runoff exceeds the holding capacity of the ice dam, water will run over the top of the bank, where it re-freezes to form icicles. At the same time that icicles are being formed, the amount of water that remains trapped behind the bank of ice can grow to the point where it starts saturating the substrate beneath the shingles.

To make matters worse, if the weather stays cold, large ice dams tend to build on themselves trapping more water and saturating more square footage on the roof. If left unchecked, constant saturation can break down the roofing system to the point where several leaks start at the same time, which can cause a high degree of damage to the structure as well as insulation, flooring, paint and drywall inside the building. On the exterior of the structure, gutters can be separated from the roof and the growth of the formation can steadily increase load bearing stress.

If you’re seeing icicles on your roof, there’s a good chance that an ice dam is directly behind them. Rather than attack the ridge with an ax, an ice pick or another tool that can damage the roof and/or the gutters, call a professional to execute the removal process. After its removal, take the necessary steps to prevent subsequent ice dams from forming. These steps include adding insulation, venting the attic, and insulating ducts that radiate heat into the attic. The result of taking these steps will be the elimination of the primary cause of ice dams; the temperature imbalances on the roof’s surface that melt and then re-freeze snow accumulations.    

5 Points of Information to Get Regarding the Installation of a New Roof

Finding a company that will do quality work at a fair price on a roof replacement involves a lot more than taking a several bids and then accepting the lowest of the lot. The process of selecting the best company for the job should begin by narrowing your potential choices to 3 “finalists” with whom you’ll meet to discuss the specifics of the project. While meeting with as many companies as possible may sound like a better option, most people don’t have the time or the patience to interview an endless stream of company representatives, so keep the final list at 2 or 3. Here are some of the points of information to assess during the decision process.

·       The physical address and history of the company – In reality, you don’t have to wait for the meeting as this step can be taken with a quick search on the web. Beware of roofers that list a P.O. Box as an address and provide no information regarding their length of time in business.

·       Confirm active general liability and workers’ compensation insurance policies – The process of elimination starts with insurance, as any company that doesn’t carry both types should be scratched off of the list immediately. The reason is that if the company isn’t carrying insurance, the liability for property damage and/or injuries on the job is placed on the homeowner, which can be a huge risk that you should not be willing to accept.

·       Confirm that the company works with materials from a wide selection of manufacturers – A roofing company that works with numerous manufacturers can offer a wide variety of roofing solutions while a manufacturer’s rep will only be able to quote and use materials from a single source.

·        Ask about manufacturers’ certifications held by roofers who work for the company – These certifications represent a level of expertise that has been gained through manufacturer- provided training modules as well as experience in working with materials from specific manufacturers. For example, if you’re going with slate shingles, the best results are going to be delivered by roofers who are certified as proficient by the manufacturer of that specific material.

·        Discuss the specifics of the project – This discussion can include the project’s timeline, a description of the finished product, a detailed bid, and warranties on materials and labor.

The most successful roofing projects include two key elements; experienced craftsmen combined with the use of high quality materials. Starting the process of finding the best company for your project with these points of information can ensure that both of these elements are present in the execution of your roof replacement.         

How a Home’s Roof Factors into a Sale by KTM Roofing

The roof of a new home is rarely perceived by potential buyers as a feature, and is instead categorized as being one of the functional aspects of the structure along with plumbing, electrical circuitry, etc. That being said, a home’s roof can factor into a sale in a variety of ways including:

·        A new roof is one less thing to worry about – Some home buyers buy properties with plans for adding features such as a remodeled kitchen, new bathrooms, etc. In other situations, buyers move in on a shoestring after making the down payment for the purchase and taking on a higher monthly payment. The common factor between these two types of buyers is that neither one is likely to move in with a priority of putting on a new roof. The one exception here are the buyers that discount the prices they are willing to pay for a home in anticipation of needing to install a new roof, resulting in a lower selling price.     

·        Aesthetics – An aging roof, even if it is in relatively good structural shape, can make the entire house look older as well. While this perception between different buyers is a subjective issue, if all other things are somewhat equal between homes under consideration, a home with a new roof will likely be chosen over one that looks much older.

·        Multiple layers of roofing materials – Rather than tearing off old roofing materials, it used to be quite common to put a new layer of shingles over the old layer, a practice that often led to roofs with multiple layers of shingles, sometimes made of different materials. These multiple layer types of installations were structurally weaker than shingles fastened directly to the deck and also increased the load demand on the structure, leading to changes in building codes that now allow a maximum of two layers of roofing materials. The code modifications led to changes in home insurance policies that now typically cover only the top layer of shingles, putting the responsibility of replacing the deck and other structures on the homeowner in the event of a claim.

·        Energy efficiency – Consumers are paying more attention to their energy consumption and are constantly seeking ways to reduce their energy bills. A new roof combined with effective insulation can reduce heating and cooling bills by up to 50 percent, which can be a significant selling factor for the home.

The roof on your home may not be a primary focus for potential buyers. However, a new roof can be a significant and positive factor that raises buyers’ perception of value of the home while also making it easier to sell.        

Raccoons and your Roof by KTM Roofing

Roof damage is often associated with extreme weather events, but there are non-weather related threats to your roof as well. Raccoons do not build dens and instead look to occupy spaces that can keep them warm and dry, especially after giving birth to pups, which normally occurs during the months of spring. While raccoons will typically find protection in a natural environment such as hollow trees or rocky overhangs, these animals are incredibly resourceful when it comes to finding and settling into spaces that provide warmth and shelter, such as attics.

To access these spaces, raccoons use their strong and dexterous front paws to create an opening, an opportunity that is often presented by older shingles and other elements of an aging roofing system. In these situations any weakness in the system, including ventilation and fascia, can be exploited by a raccoon to gain entry.  Starting with a hole that may measure only 5 inches across, raccoons can enter the attic and then start working to improve their living conditions by enlarging the hole and moving in. In addition to the damage to the roof, nocturnal raccoons can quickly become a nuisance by moving around and making noise while household members are trying to sleep.

The best way to prevent the damage and inconvenience of a raccoon infestation is to eliminate the things that will draw them to your home in the first place; the availability of food and water. Buy trash cans that can be locked shut or are specifically designed to prevent access by raccoons and opossums. These cans are designed with a narrower base with handles that can be accessed only from the underside to hinder climbing. The lids are usually hinged and somewhat heavy to makes access even more difficult.  A second, though probably less effective measure, is to cut tree limbs and branches away from your roof. This step will shut off one point of access to the roof, but raccoons are skillful climbers, so if they have found a food supply around your home they will do whatever they can to hang around.

If a raccoon and her brood have already taken up residence in your attic, do not try to remove them yourself. Raccoons can be quite vicious when protecting their dens and their pups and bringing in a professional will provide a safe and humane removal. After the removal, do not procrastinate to get the damage fixed. Have a professional roofing company do the repairs and assess any other weaknesses in your roof that may be exploited in the future by a family of raccoons seeking food, warmth and shelter.