Honestly, I see this all the time after storms—brand new roofs with moisture issues just because someone skipped a step on ventilation. If you’re doing a walkthrough, I’d double-check attic access, look for daylight through soffit vents, and feel for airflow. Even a quick hand test near baffles can tell you a lot. Sometimes, just pulling back a bit of insulation reveals a world of problems. It’s wild how often the basics get missed, even on new builds.
Sometimes, just pulling back a bit of insulation reveals a world of problems.
That’s spot on. I learned the hard way—thought our new attic was fine until I actually poked around behind the insulation and found mold starting near the eaves. If you’re trying to keep costs down, here’s what worked for me: grab a cheap smoke pen (or even incense) and watch how it moves near the vents and baffles. If it just hangs there, airflow’s not happening. Open up soffit vents if they’re blocked by insulation—sometimes builders just don’t bother with proper chutes. It’s not glamorous but catching it early saves a ton on repairs.
Had the same thing happen when I moved into a so-called “energy efficient” place. Everything looked perfect until I started poking around the attic and found insulation jammed right up against the soffit vents—zero airflow. I get that builders want to hit those R-value targets, but sometimes it’s like they forget the roof needs to breathe too.
I’m all for saving energy, but honestly, if you’re not paying attention to ventilation, you’re just asking for mold and rot. The smoke pen trick works, but I’ve also used a cheap laser thermometer to spot weird cold patches—usually means air’s not moving where it should.
If you ever redo your roof, think about adding a green roof layer or at least some reflective membrane. Cuts down on heat, and you get less moisture buildup in the first place. Not everyone’s into that look, but it’s made a difference for me.
Funny how the “new build” label doesn’t mean much if the basics aren’t right...
Funny how the “new build” label doesn’t mean much if the basics aren’t right...
Totally get where you’re coming from. I ran into the same thing—looked great on paper, but then I found out the attic vents were blocked by insulation too. Ended up moving some of it myself and adding those cheap baffles. Not fancy, but it made a difference and didn’t break the bank. Sometimes you just have to double-check what the builders missed.
I see the point about double-checking the builder’s work, but honestly, I’d be careful with DIY fixes in the attic. Moving insulation and adding baffles sounds simple, but if it’s not done right, you can mess up air flow or even void some warranties. Not all blocked vents are just sloppy work either—sometimes it’s a code thing, or a well-meaning attempt at energy efficiency that just goes sideways. I’ve seen a couple of new builds where the venting looked “wrong” at first glance, but actually followed a specific design spec. Worth digging into the plans or having a pro look before making changes—just my two cents.
