“seems like one more gadget to check, but maybe I’m just being stubborn.”
Haha, I felt the same way about humidity sensors—like, how many things do I need to babysit in this house? But after finding a little patch of mold behind my attic access door (gross), I’m glad I put one in. It’s wild how much just moving a bit of insulation can change the whole vibe up there. Also, totally agree on being picky with shingles... I’d rather spend the afternoon double-checking than deal with leaks during a thunderstorm.
I get where you’re coming from about the gadgets—sometimes it feels like the house is running us, not the other way around. But honestly, those little humidity sensors have saved a lot of folks from big headaches. I’ve seen more attic mold than I care to admit, and it’s almost always tied back to poor airflow or insulation getting moved around. Even just a few feet of misplaced batts can mess with the whole system.
One thing I’d add—sometimes people focus so much on intake and exhaust vents that they forget about baffles. Without those, insulation can block airflow at the eaves, and then you’re right back to square one. I’ve had jobs where we replaced shingles after a leak, only to find the real culprit was condensation from bad ventilation. It’s not always obvious, especially in older homes.
I’m with you on being picky about shingles, though. I’d rather spend an extra hour up there than get a call after the next big storm. But honestly, sometimes it’s the stuff you can’t see—like hidden moisture—that causes the worst problems.
That’s actually super helpful to hear, especially about the baffles. I’ll admit, I had no idea what those were until I started poking around in my attic and saw insulation stuffed right up against the roof edge. Makes me wonder how many people just assume vents are enough. I did grab a cheap humidity sensor after reading about hidden moisture issues—now I’m kind of obsessed with checking it. Is it normal for the numbers to jump around a lot during the day? Or am I just overthinking it?
- Humidity numbers in my attic bounce around too, especially when the weather shifts or someone’s running the dryer.
- Cheap sensors aren’t always super accurate, but they’re good for spotting trends.
- I’d say don’t sweat it unless you see crazy spikes or actual dampness.
- Honestly, I think most folks ignore attic airflow until there’s a problem... guilty here until last winter’s ice dam mess.
Cheap sensors aren’t always super accurate, but they’re good for spotting trends.
That’s been my experience too—my sensor’s always a few points off compared to the one in my living room, but it’s enough to notice when something’s off. I learned the hard way that even a small leak can throw those numbers way up before you see any actual wet spots. If you’re seeing consistent high humidity, especially after rain, it’s worth checking insulation gaps or blocked soffit vents. Dryer venting into the attic is a big one folks miss... saw that in my neighbor’s place last year and it was a mess.
