If you have a problem with frost in your attic, you're not alone. The last few weeks of very cold weather has led to a lot of frost-covered attics.
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Sealed attic access panels are the been the bane of my existence. Nothing about home inspections causes more consternation than 'sealed' attic access panels
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What's the best attic insulation? That depends on your definition of best. What performs the best isn't the most cost-effective way to insulate an attic.
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I'm convinced that most moisture issues with skylights are condensation issues that are misdiagnosed as leaks.
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Dear Home Seller, I’m writing to ask you to please make your attic accessible.
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With all of the recent snowfall here in the Twin Cities, it's a good time to talk about ice dams.
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Green building ratings and energy efficiency certifications are becoming increasingly popular—for good reason.
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There is a great new change to the Minnesota Energy Code that took effect over a year ago, which now requires attic access hatches to now be weatherstripped
Read MoreShould home inspectors open up "sealed" attic access panels? Heck yes. Every time, unless the owner or buyer specifically says not to.
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I've been seeing ice dams all over the Twin Cities, and I've heard from a number of homeowners who are having problems with ice dams right now. I've written about ice dams extensively on this blog, so I'm putting together links to all of these past topics in one place. I also have few more ice dam prevention tips. File these under "advanced ice dam prevention".
Read MoreConsumers should beware of insulation contractors who offer to insulate attics without checking for and sealing attic air leaks. If the offer to insulate does not include sealing air leaks, then the contractor is in violation of the Minnesota energy code, which says “Attic insulation may not be installed unless accessible attic bypasses have been sealed.”
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Frost shows up in the attic when moisture-laden air from the house gets into the attic. That's about it, pretty simple. When the moisture gets into the attic, it condenses on the roof sheathing in the form of frost. The frost itself doesn't do any damage, but once it melts things get wet, which is when the damage occurs.
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Who inspects the attic insulation in new construction homes? Probably just the person that put it in. NOBODY ELSE.
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There are plenty of 'hack' methods of ice dam removal out there, so I decided to blog about them. The methods I'm going to discuss involve an axe, ice pick, pantyhose, salt, heat cables, a pressure washer, and even a blowtorch just for fun.
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