I hear you on the Ontario winters—every shortcut gets exposed, no matter how minor. I’ve always been a stickler for venting, but even then, I’ve had condensation sneak up on me in weird spots, especially with trusses. I’m curious, did you notice any difference in condensation between truss and rafter builds? I’ve always felt like trusses make it trickier to get consistent airflow, but maybe that’s just me being old-school. Also, I’ve tried the fully taped vapor barrier route in a shed, and honestly, it felt like overkill... but at least I wasn’t mopping up puddles all winter.
Yeah, trusses can be a pain for airflow—there’s just so much lumber in the way compared to open rafters. I’ve noticed more random cold spots and condensation with trusses, especially near the heel. Taping the vapor barrier feels like overkill until you skip it once and regret it... Ontario winters don’t mess around.
Taping the vapor barrier feels like overkill until you skip it once and regret it... Ontario winters don’t mess around.
Yeah, skipping the tape is one of those shortcuts that bites you later—been there. I went with trusses for cost reasons, but I do notice the cold spots too, especially over the bedrooms. Did you try adding extra insulation at the heel or just stick with taping? Wondering if a combo actually makes a difference for the money.
I went with trusses for cost reasons, but I do notice the cold spots too, especially over the bedrooms.
Yeah, those cold spots are brutal. I tried just taping at first, but honestly, it didn’t do much for the corners and edges. Ended up stuffing extra batts at the heel, and that helped a bit, but it’s still not perfect. Ever notice how the snow melts unevenly above those spots? Makes me wonder if spray foam at the heel would be worth the extra cash...
Makes me wonder if spray foam at the heel would be worth the extra cash...
Honestly, I’m a bit skeptical about spray foam unless you’re sealing the whole attic. It’s pricey, and if you miss spots, you still get those weird melt patterns. I’ve seen folks try it and still end up with ice dams. Sometimes it’s just the nature of trusses—those heels are tough to insulate right. If you do go the spray foam route, make sure whoever does it knows how to deal with ventilation or you’ll trade cold spots for moisture headaches.