It’s always a balancing act between strength and keeping things dry.
That’s the truth. When I swapped out rafters for trusses on my last place, I thought I’d solved everything—more support, less sag, job done. But then winter hit and I started seeing damp spots around the edges. Turns out, my “extra” insulation was trapping moisture. Had to backtrack and add more venting. Sometimes it feels like every fix creates a new problem... but at least the roof hasn’t budged since.
That moisture trap issue is way too common, especially when you’re trying to do everything “right” with insulation. I ran into something similar after beefing up my attic insulation—thought I was being smart, but then the condensation started. It’s wild how adding strength or efficiency in one spot can throw off the balance somewhere else. At least your trusses are holding up, and now you’ve got better airflow too. Feels like progress, even if it’s not a straight line.
I get what you’re saying about airflow being a win, but honestly, I’m not convinced trusses are always the answer—especially if you’re dealing with older houses or want to use the attic for storage or living space. When I swapped out rafters for trusses in my last place, yeah, the structure was stronger, but I lost a ton of usable space up there. Plus, it made running new wiring and ductwork way more of a pain than I expected.
With rafters, you’ve got a lot more flexibility if you ever want to finish out the attic or just stash stuff. Sure, they might need extra bracing depending on your snow load or whatever, but at least you’re not boxed in by all that webbing. And about the moisture thing—I actually had fewer issues with condensation once I could get up there and seal things properly around vents and lights. Trusses made that trickier.
Guess it just depends what you’re after. If you want pure strength and don’t care about attic access, trusses are solid. But if you want options down the road, rafters might be worth the hassle.
That’s a fair point about trusses eating up attic space. I’ve run into that in a few properties, especially the ones built in the last couple decades. The truss webs just kind of take over, and if you ever want to do anything up there—like run new HVAC lines or even just lay down some plywood for storage—you’re suddenly threading the needle between all those angled supports. It’s doable, but man, it’s a pain.
I’m curious, though—did you notice any difference in noise? I’ve had tenants mention that with rafter roofs (especially in older homes), you get a bit more creaking and flex when the wind picks up or during big temperature swings. Trusses seem to quiet things down, but maybe that’s just the way they’re built? Or maybe it’s just my imagination.
You’re right about access for sealing and repairs, too. I’ve had electricians grumble about trusses more than once—trying to fish wires through those webs is nobody’s idea of fun. On the flip side, the engineers always seem happier with trusses, especially when we’re talking about heavy snow loads or wide spans. Less worry about sagging over time, supposedly.
One thing I wonder about is resale value. Do buyers care if it’s a truss or rafter roof? I’ve never had anyone ask directly, but I do get questions about “can I finish this attic?” or “is there storage up there?” Maybe that’s something to consider if you’re thinking long-term.
For me, it comes down to what you want out of the space. If you’re never going to use the attic for anything but insulation and air movement, trusses are probably less hassle. But if you want options later—storage, another room, whatever—rafters do give you more wiggle room, even if they’re a bit more work upfront.
And yeah, climate matters too. In places with heavy snow or hurricanes, sometimes you just don’t have much choice unless you want to spend a fortune on custom engineering.
I’ve had tenants mention that with rafter roofs (especially in older homes), you get a bit more creaking and flex when the wind picks up or during big temperature swings. Trusses seem to quiet things down, but maybe that’s just the way they’re built? Or maybe it’s just my imagination.
You’re not imagining it. I’ve crawled through enough attics to know that old-school rafters have a certain… personality. Especially in those 1940s bungalows—every time the wind howls, it’s like the house is settling in for a dramatic reading of “Creaks and Groans: A Memoir.” Trusses, on the other hand, are like the strong silent type. All those triangles do a good job of locking things down, so you don’t get as much flex or noise. I’ve had folks swear their new truss roof is “too quiet,” which is a complaint I never thought I’d hear.
As for resale, I’ve never seen a buyer walk in and say, “Show me your truss system!” But you nailed it—people care about what they can *do* with the attic. If there’s a big open space, suddenly everyone’s got dreams of a home office or a secret lair. When it’s all trussed up, those dreams die pretty quick. I had one client who wanted to turn his attic into a yoga studio, but after seeing the web of lumber up there, he settled for a new mat in the living room.
Electricians and HVAC folks definitely have some choice words for trusses. I watched one guy try to snake a wire through a maze of webs—looked like he was auditioning for a low-budget remake of Mission Impossible. But from a structural standpoint, trusses are hard to beat, especially up here where we get those heavy snow dumps. I’ve seen old rafter roofs sag like a hammock after a few rough winters.
If you’re thinking about future-proofing for storage or finishing out the attic, rafters give you more options, but you’ll probably pay more upfront and maybe down the line if you need to beef things up for code. Trusses are cheaper and easier for builders, but you’re basically locked out of using that space for anything fun.
Long story short: if you want an attic you can actually use, go rafters (and maybe invest in some earplugs for windy nights). If you just want a roof that’ll hold up and keep the engineers happy, trusses are the way to go. Just don’t expect to store your Christmas decorations up there without playing a game of attic Twister.
