- Condensation comes from the humidity that naturally flows into the house. This means that water is probably not leaking down into your attic, especially if both the attic and the roof are new. Instead, water is forming because of high humidity and poor ventilation. Your new attic was probably constructed without sufficient ventilation features for your climate and house structure.
- The most likely solution for your condensation problem is better attic ventilation. Rules for attic vents can vary, but 1 1/2 inches of vent roof along the eaves per square foot of attic space is suggested. This provides enough ventilation for most attic spaces. However, you should be sure to measure the floor of the attic, not the roof, when making your square foot calculations.
- In some cases your house may simply be producing too much moisture -- good insulation may actually make this problem worse -- and you may need to add new attic vents in addition to the normal versions. You should also check the exhaust vents in your house. If air-conditioning fans or dryer vents are displacing air into your attic, this air is very humid and may be contributing most of the moisture to the problem.
- Your foundation may also be a reason why you have condensation issues. If your home was built without a vapor barrier, moisture may be able to rise through the soil and pass into your house more easily, ultimately creating condensation problems in your attic. The barrier blocks this moisture flow and can typically reduce problems. This is an ideal solution for new construction, but unfortunately you cannot add a vapor barrier to a house that is already built.
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