Winter attic frost, drips from the roof deck, and musty odor are almost never roof leaks — they're household vapor condensing on cold sheathing. Roofers will replace your shingles and you'll still get drips next winter. I diagnose the actual moisture source (bath fans, air sealing, ventilation math), score the fix in the right order, and tell you honestly whether you're at 'just fix it' or 'you also need remediation.'
Bath fan, range hood, and dryer termination audit (IRC M1505.3 compliance)
Can-light, plumbing, and top-plate air-leak mapping from the attic side
Insulation baffle presence and airflow-path scoring at every rafter bay
Ridge and soffit vent NFA math per IRC R806 (1:150 or 1:300 ratio)
Sheathing moisture readings with pin meter and staining pattern documentation
Prioritized fix scope: air-seal first, ventilate second, insulate third
Full attic walk-and-crawl inspection where safe access exists. Bath fan, range hood, and dryer vent termination-point verification (must exit to exterior per IRC M1505.3). Air-leak survey: can-lights, plumbing penetrations, top-plate gaps, attic-hatch weatherstripping. Insulation depth measurement + baffle presence audit at every rafter bay. Ridge vent, gable vent, and soffit vent NFA calculation vs code minimum (1:300 balanced or 1:150 unbalanced). Sheathing moisture meter readings at high-risk locations + frost/staining pattern photography. Humidity + temperature snapshot at inspection time (upgrade to data-logger for 7-day trend). Written scope with prioritized fix order (air-seal first, ventilate second, insulate third) and cost bands.
NM homeowners with winter attic frost, sheathing drips, or 'mystery leaks' that only happen in cold weather. Homeowners with musty attic odor or humidity-related paint bubbling on top-floor ceilings. Homeowners quoted a re-roof for 'condensation staining' who suspect the roof isn't actually leaking. Homeowners planning insulation upgrades who need ventilation math done first (adding R-value without air-sealing makes condensation worse). Buyers under contract who noticed attic staining during a general home inspection.
Verbal Walk — $99 Standard Condensation Report — $349 Detailed w/ Moisture Meter Readings + 7-Day Humidity Log + Prioritized Scope — $549 Multi-Building or Commercial — Custom Most condensation inspections are $349–$549. Compared to a $2,000–$8,000 mold remediation bill or an $18,000 unnecessary re-roof, this is the correct order of operations.
Because warm, moist household air is leaking into a cold attic and condensing on the underside of the sheathing. Three main sources: bath fans terminating INTO the attic (against IRC M1505.3, but incredibly common in NM), unsealed can-light or plumbing penetrations from the conditioned space, and undersized or blocked ventilation. NM's cold-clear winter nights (attic sheathing drops below 20°F) turn that vapor into frost that later melts and drips as 'mystery leaks.'
Yes and no. It looks like a roof leak (staining, drips, wet insulation, musty smell), but the water source is inside your house — not outside. Roofers will replace shingles and you'll still have drips next winter. HVAC contractors will re-duct bath fans and miss the ventilation math. I diagnose the whole system: vapor source, air-sealing, insulation baffles, and net-free ventilation area (NFA), and give you the fix in the right order.
Full walk-and-crawl (where safe): every bath fan and range hood termination point, every can-light and plumbing penetration from below, insulation depth and baffle presence at every rafter bay, ridge and soffit vent NFA math per IRC R806, sheathing moisture readings with a pin meter, and any existing frost/staining pattern photographed. Written scope prioritizes fixes by cost-vs-impact.
Depends on how long the condensation has been happening. Fresh frost that dries every spring: usually just staining. Persistent damp sheathing (>3 winters unaddressed): typically produces visible mold that costs $2,000–$8,000 to remediate. I check with a moisture meter and give you an honest read on where you are. If mold is present I refer you to a real IICRC-certified remediator — I don't sell mold work.
Hail/wind + NOAA event correlation.
Map wet insulation before you recoat.
IRC / IBC / NMCID cited per finding.
Per-door pricing + rolled-up capex plan.
I've watched too many neighbors sign contracts they didn't understand for roofs they didn't need. That stops with a written report they own.