Academia Roofing & Attics

I recently discovered my attic had a light coating of frost during a recent cold snap. I was forced to check the attic when the bathroom fan stopped working. I was initially convinced it was dust or other debris. After cleaning and checking the connections I discovered there was a little bit of water in the sock and that’s when I thought I should check the attic. I was dismayed to find the frost in the attic as the attic never had these issues. I religiously check the attic 3 times a year and a month before it was fine. The only thing that really changed was earlier in the year a new roof was installed with additional vents by a previous roofer.

After calling the roofer and our handyman they advised me that some frost is normal in the attic. That may be the case if there was frost only on the nails but there was a fair amount along the wood too. My opinion is that any frost or water in the attic is too much and something must be wrong. Discouraged to hear this from professionals, I did some research on the problem and to see if anyone could help…..and that’s when I found Gordon.

His reviews and information about him was impressive. I contacted him and found him to be well knowledgeable and educated on roofing/attics/gutters. He tried to explain a couple of theories over the phone but we both agreed that something must be wrong with the new roofing system put in by the roofer. We setup for a date for an onsite consultation so the exact cause of the problem could be verified.

He confirmed the attic had minor pre-existing issues that may have contributed to the frosting but he did verify the main catalyst was not only the additional venting but how it was installed. 1.) Too many vents for a small attic 2.) They were put to close together 3.) The biggest problem: The vents were installed on different sides which caused them to work together or compete which messed up the air flow. Traditionally vents should be installed side by side on the same side, distributed evenly to ensure even air flow and venting of the attic. I was also disappointed to find out that that one of the vents was installed to close on the top part of the roof which weakened the wood and broke a piece which means if I stepped on that specific section I would go through the roof. We also found out the socks had blocks of ICE due to poor connections on both ENDS of the bathroom fans. Gordon did advise me the best time to this job would have been when the roof was done but unfortunately that time was passed. Due the small size of the attic this job would be extremely difficult and he would have to improvise in some areas. He only took this job because he was training his colleague Ferdinand and it would be a good learning experience. I was thankful because I was concerned about damage to the wood and MOLD. He did tell me there was a real possibility that he could go through the ceiling because of the space he was working with but thankfully that didnt happen.

I felt Gord was right for the job because he sounded like he knew what was talking about and he would do the right job. In addition to putting in new venting (Maxi-Vent)/removing old venting, he topped up my attic with additional insulation, cleaned my soffits (which was a hard and difficult job due to the confined space in the attic), replace attic hatch, put in a new bathroom fan (including vapor barriers, installed new steel vents in the front of the house including the garage to vent out CO. He also addressed further minor issues without asking for the additional money. Gordon and crew including Ferdinand did a fantastic job in the attic and they were really careful not to go through the ceiling. He also ensured that everything was organized and clean before he left which shows someone who cares about your home. The house feels warmer and the heater runs 1.5 hours less. The best part is they worked to address my problem fully even though it was really cold and the roof had snow. They both took pride in their work and ensured everything was completed to my satisfaction which it was. It was worth the money to ensure I would not have any more problems in the attic which is the most critical part of the house.

Finally Gordon pointed out some minor problems with the downspout which could cause big issues later on. He said he would come back in the early spring to address the issue for free. That’s what I call AWESOMENESS!! Gordon also give us a substantial discount after advising him my girlfriend and I were just starting out and we didn’t have a lot money.