You nailed it with the venting thing—seen too many folks get excited about insulation and then forget the attic needs to breathe. I can’t count how many times I’ve poked my head up there for an inspection and found everything sealed up tighter than a drum. Sure, things are quieter, but then you get those gnarly moisture stains or, worse, that musty smell nobody wants.
What’s wild is how often people assume more foam equals better results. It’s all about balance. Good insulation’s great, but if you choke off the airflow, especially in places with hot summers or wild swings in weather, you’re just asking for trouble. I always tell people—if you’re not sure, just double-check those vents after any work gets done. Saves a lot of headaches down the line (and your wallet too).
Props for bringing this up. It’s the kind of detail that gets missed until it’s too late... and then everyone’s pointing fingers.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen some homes do just fine with sealed attics—especially with spray foam directly under the roof deck. It’s not for every climate or roof type, but if it’s done right and moisture’s managed, you don’t always need traditional venting. Just gotta make sure whoever installs it knows their stuff... otherwise yeah, you’re asking for headaches.
Just gotta make sure whoever installs it knows their stuff... otherwise yeah, you’re asking for headaches.
- Been there, seen that—spray foam under the deck can be a dream or a nightmare. Had a job last summer where the homeowner went with a “friend of a friend” for install. Let’s just say, by the time I got called in, it was less “sealed attic” and more “indoor rainforest.” Mold city.
- When it’s done right though? Super tight, no drafts, and the AC barely breaks a sweat. I’ve seen it hold up in some gnarly hail storms too—no blown insulation, no water sneaking in.
- Not gonna lie, I still get twitchy about skipping venting in our humid climate (Gulf Coast here). If you’re not on top of moisture control, you’re basically building a sauna up there.
- One thing I always tell folks: check your roof type. Spray foam’s great under shingles or metal, but tile roofs? Whole different animal.
- Bottom line, if your installer’s more “YouTube certified” than actually certified... yeah, you’re rolling the dice.
Not gonna lie, I still get twitchy about skipping venting in our humid climate (Gulf Coast here). If you’re not on top of moisture control, you’re basically building a sauna up there.
Yeah, that’s my worry too. Every time I see spray foam in an unvented attic around here, I start poking around for hidden moisture. Anyone actually had luck with dehumidifiers up there, or is that just wishful thinking?
I’ve wondered the same thing about dehumidifiers in attics. My uncle tried one after spray foaming his place near Lake Charles, but he said it barely made a dent—just kept dumping water every day. Maybe it helps a bit, but I feel like unless you’re sealing every little gap, the humidity just sneaks back in. Has anyone tried running a small HVAC return up there instead? I keep hearing mixed things on whether that’s overkill or actually helps balance the moisture.
