- Ridge vents have definitely cut down on maintenance for me, but I still do a quick attic check every spring—caught a small leak around a vent pipe last year before it got worse.
- Squirrels are relentless... had to reinforce my vent screens twice after they chewed through the first set. Hardware cloth seems to hold up better than anything else I’ve tried.
- Noticed some uneven insulation near the eaves—turned out to be air leaks from recessed lights. Swapped them for IC-rated fixtures and sealed with caulk, which helped with drafts.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those attic tents or zippered covers for access hatches? Wondering if they’re worth the cost compared to just DIY foam board and weatherstripping.
I’ve been wondering about those attic tents too. The price tag seems a bit much for what’s basically a zippered bag, but I get the appeal if it actually seals better. I did the foam board and weatherstripping thing last month—took maybe an hour and cost under $30. It’s not pretty, but I noticed less draft in the hallway right away. Not sure if the tent would do much more unless you’re opening the hatch all the time.
Squirrels are relentless... had to reinforce my vent screens twice after they chewed through the first set. Hardware cloth seems to hold up better than anything else I’ve tried.
I’m dealing with this now. Thought I was safe with the standard mesh, but found a pile of insulation by the hatch and some chewed-up plastic. Guess I’ll be making a trip for hardware cloth this weekend. Did you just staple it over the existing vents or do a full replacement? I’m hoping I don’t have to rip out the old stuff.
On the insulation front, I spotted some weird cold spots near my eaves too. Didn’t think about recessed lights being the culprit, but now that you mention it, mine aren’t IC-rated either. Might have to swap those out before next winter.
Curious—has anyone had issues with ice dams after sealing up attic leaks? I keep hearing that too much sealing can actually make things worse if you don’t have enough ventilation. My roof’s only a few years old (asphalt shingles, moderate slope, Midwest), so I’m trying to avoid any big headaches.
I get what you mean about the attic tents. I looked at those a while back and just couldn’t justify dropping $150+ for what’s basically a fancy cover. Ended up doing the foam board and weatherstripping too, and yeah, it’s not pretty but it cut down on the draft almost instantly. Unless you’re constantly going up there, I’m not sure the tent is really worth it either.
About the squirrels—ugh, they are determined little monsters.
Same here. The regular mesh didn’t stand a chance, so I got some 1/4" hardware cloth and used tin snips to cut it to size. I just screwed it right over the existing vent covers with some big washers to make sure they couldn’t pry it off. Didn’t bother ripping out the old stuff, just covered right over it. Took a couple hours but haven’t had any issues since (knock on wood). It’s ugly but it works.“Hardware cloth seems to hold up better than anything else I’ve tried.”
On the ice dam thing—my last house (also Midwest, similar roof) had major issues after I got overzealous with sealing up every little gap in the attic. Turns out, blocking all those leaks without beefing up soffit/ridge venting made things worse. Warm air from inside still found its way into the attic (especially around those old can lights), melted snow on the roof, and then bam: ice dams at the eaves. Had water backing up under shingles by February.
This time around, I’m leaving some of the minor leaks alone until I can be sure my ventilation is solid. Added a couple more soffit vents last fall and made sure nothing was blocked by insulation. It’s a balancing act—too much sealing without enough airflow is just asking for trouble in our climate.
If your recessed lights aren’t IC-rated, definitely swap those out when you get a chance. The old ones are basically little chimneys for heat loss.
All that said, even with a newer roof, I still check for shingle lift or weird drips in the attic after a big melt or storm. Seems like every year there’s something new up there...
Yeah, I hear you on the attic tents. I did the same—just slapped some foam board and weatherstripping up there and called it good. Not exactly HGTV material, but it keeps the cold air where it belongs. Unless you’re hauling boxes up and down every week, I can’t see dropping that kind of cash either.
Squirrels are a whole other headache. I tried chicken wire once and those little jerks just chewed right through it. Hardware cloth’s the only thing that’s held up for me, too. Not pretty, but I’d rather have ugly vents than a family of rodents in my insulation.
Ice dams... yeah, that’s a tricky one. I made the same mistake—sealed everything up tight, then got water dripping down the walls mid-February. Turns out, a little draft isn’t always the enemy if your venting can’t keep up. Now I do a quick check every spring: look for lifted shingles, water stains on the rafters, and make sure nothing’s blocking the soffits. It’s not glamorous, but it beats surprises when the snow melts.
And yeah, those old can lights are basically heat leaks with a trim ring. Swapping to IC-rated ones made a noticeable difference for me—worth crawling around in itchy insulation for an afternoon.
Now I do a quick check every spring: look for lifted shingles, water stains on the rafters, and make sure nothing’s blocking the soffits. It’s not glamorous, but it beats surprises when the snow melts.
That spring check is clutch. I’ve learned the hard way that ignoring those little signs—like a shingle corner sticking up or a faint stain—usually means a bigger headache later. My place has a low-slope roof, so even a bit of ice damming can send water places it really shouldn’t go. One year, I found a whole patch of soggy insulation because a vent baffle had slipped out of place. Not fun.
On the squirrel front, yeah, hardware cloth is the only thing that’s lasted more than a season for me too. I tried expanding foam once, thinking it’d seal up the gaps, but the critters just tunneled right through. Ugly vents are a small price to pay for peace and quiet.
Swapping out old recessed lights for IC-rated ones was a game changer. The drafts dropped off and my heating bill actually went down a bit. Not the most exciting Saturday, but worth it in the end.