Help! I Have Icicles in My Attic

Not long ago I received a question from a reader who lives in an older home in the Bristol area. She wrote to me because she had gone to get something that was stored in her attic and noticed that there were icicles hanging off the framing inside. She wasn’t sure how they got there but she was worried and reached out to ask my advice. I’m so glad she did.

It might be hard to believe that icicles can form inside the house, but in many older homes that lack proper insulation and ventilation, the attic can become a magnet for condensation, which will freeze when it gets cold enough and the moisture has nowhere to go.

We all know that heat rises, and when we heat our homes in the winter, a lot of that warm air moves up through our ceilings and into the attic, rising all the way up to where it should be able to pass through the vents to the outside. However, if those vents aren’t working properly, the condensation and air have nowhere to go, so it collects on any cold surface below the dew point and turns into frost. After a while, this frost builds up to form icicles. The more moisture that builds up in the attic, the worse the problem will become. As temperatures rise and that ice and frost start to melt, it can saturate your insulation with water, causing mold and mildew problems as well as potential leaks in your ceiling. What’s worse is this isn’t even just a winter problem. Condensation build up can cause issues in your attic all year long.

So how do you stop the condensation from forming? Your first move is to look for sources that are pushing excess warm air into the attic. If you have a whole house fan, it’s a wise move to cover it as the louvers are letting your valuable heat escape quite easily. Bathroom fans are another sure bet for letting air through and they will cause major condensation issues if they are blowing into the attic instead of venting directly outside. Finally, make sure your folding stairway is covered over with an insulated box or weather stripping to avoid losing that extra heat.

While sealing off places that allow excess heat to get into the attic is a great idea, the one thing you never want to do is seal off your attic vents. Attic ventilation is a system which includes intake vents in the soffit and exhaust vents at the roof’s ridge. If these vents get sealed or blocked, there is nowhere for the condensation to go, so it gets trapped and can easily manifest into a leak. Believe it or not, the average family of four generates two to four gallons of water vapor each day from cooking, cleaning, showering, laundry, and breathing. If that water is left sitting in the attic, you’re going to have a problem.

These freezing temperatures give you a great opportunity to take a look up in your attic to see if you have any frost or icicles culminating in your home. Next week I’ll tell you more about how to properly ventilate and insulate an attic to make sure your property isn’t prone to leaks and other condensation-based damage in the future.  

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Don’t Let the Wintry Weather Damage Your Roof

The kind of weather we’re having can create some messy challenges for homeowners. Snowfall followed by warming temperatures and then more snow makes icy conditions on sidewalks, in your driveway, and worst of all - on your roof. The culmination of wintry build-up is one of the most dangerous hazards for a home because although those huge, hanging icicles look pretty, the ice dams that they come from can result in major leaks in your ceiling and interior walls.

An ice dam forms when heavy snow blankets the roof, forming an extra layer of insulation. As warm air rises from your house and up through your attic, it causes the layer of snow closest to the roof to melt and the water to slide down into the gutters. This would normally be a good thing, but because so many homes in our area aren’t properly insulated, what often happens is that when the melting water hits the cold eaves of the roof, it freezes again instead of draining off through the gutters, forming an ice blockage. As that ice grows and grows, the water has nowhere to go so it starts to move under your roof shingles and eventually into your insulation and drywall. This is when you’ll start to see the leaks in your ceiling and walls.

The best way to avoid this problem is by taking preventative measures. I get calls from homeowners to remove ice dams after every winter storm, and for many, it is too late and they are already facing thousands of dollars worth of damage. But if you’re lucky enough to catch an ice dam before it fully forms, it’s a smart idea to get rid of it as quickly as possible.

Firstly, when you’re clearing snow from your driveway and sidewalks, think about your roof too. Removing snow from the house is the best way to protect your home against it melting and refreezing in the gutters and up the roof. If you already have an ice dam forming, you can use a hammer and chisel to get rid of it, but be very careful as roof shingles are more delicate and brittle in cold conditions. One safe home remedy is to fill a pair of pantyhose with an ice melter and lay it across the ice dam so the water will melt into the gutter. If you’re not comfortable on a ladder, call a professional to help you get rid of the ice dam quickly and safely.

These, of course, are just stop-gap measures. The only way to prevent ice dams from forming permanently is to have your home properly insulated and ventilated. More than 75% of homes in our area are under insulated which causes the heat from your home to shoot right through the roof. Having appropriate insulation and ventilation will keep your home free from ice dams and will keep you much more comfortable in both the winter and the summer. You’ll feel the difference immediately, and you’ll see the benefit in your energy bills too. Have questions about ice dams or need a hand? As always, I am here to help.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Cute Birds Can Become Troublesome House Pests

If you see lots of sparrows around your house this winter, you might want to pay close attention. Sure, these cute little birds might seem harmless, but the truth is that they can be a real pain if they decide to make your home their home.

House sparrows depend on humans for food and nesting, which is why you may notice that they aren’t afraid to get awfully close when you’re enjoying a sandwich on a park bench. They originally came to the US from England in the 1850’s, when eight pairs were brought to Brooklyn to control a growing moth larvae problem. The little birds quickly decided that they liked their new home, and their population grew to the point where they are now one of the most popular urban birds in the United States. And guess what? They don’t eat moth larvae after all.

According to the North American Bluebird Society, the breeding season for house sparrows can start from midwinter and each pair of sparrows may produce up to four broods a season. Of course, before sparrows can breed, they have to build a home. The male house sparrow’s bond with his nest site is stronger than his bond with a mate. So once he finds some prime real estate, you’re going to have a hard time serving him with an eviction notice.

The reason contractors like me aren’t the biggest fans of sparrows is because they love building their nests in tiny, warm and well-insulated places such as people’s roofs. They construct these nests using grass, straw, feathers, weeds, string, trash and other highly flammable materials and aren’t afraid to get comfortable right on a heat source, such as the light fixtures on the outside of your home. They are also partial to house spots that offer a bit of shelter, such as gutters and downspouts which can easily get clogged and cause roof leaks. So you can see why these cute little birds can cause a real headache if they decide to take up residence with you.

So what can you do to prevent sparrows from cozying up to your home? Believe it or not, a sparrow can fit into a hole smaller than one inch. Do an inspection around the eaves of your home to look for holes that could make a proper shelter. If you find some, you might want to consider installing mesh to keep the sparrows out. Also consider installing stainless steel spikes to light fixtures, outdoor speakers or deep door molding. Place covers over vents and check the screening over louvers before birds find their way inside. Keep garage doors and sheds closed to prevent birds from entering, and avoid putting out roost boxes too early as sparrows are generally the first birds out of the gates. Finally, consider removing brush piles, shrubbery or other natural shelter to reduce the amount of nesting material available.

Have you encountered a house sparrow problem in your home? What are your top tips to remedy the situation? I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email or message me on Facebook at wwww.facebook.com/odonnellbros.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.