New Asphalt Roof Smell in House
Quick Column Summary:
- New roof has asphalt smell
- How is it getting into home
- Shingles off gassing into attic
- Turbine vents will remove smell
Rosie Palau, who lives in Sarasota, FL the home of the best sugar beach sand in the USA, has a big problem in her home. I know how to solve it!
"My landlord had a new roof put on the house last December. 2013. All was well until we put the air conditioner on late April this year.
Then in the afternoon after the outside of the house gets good and hot, the inside has a strong asphalt-type smell, which hurts my throat. I know this is from the off gassing of the roof because I also smell it in places around the house when it's sunny and hot out.
How is this smelly outside air getting in when all the windows are closed? And how can I stop it? We had the air ducts checked for leaks and sealed but that did not help a whit! Thank you !"
Here's my answer to Rosie:
Rosie, you bet the hydrocarbon vapors can be irritating. The sun is cooking the new shingles and it's indeed offgassing into the attic space between the roof and your ceiling.
Since you're in Florida, I pretty much am sure your house is built on a slab and your AC ductwork is in the attic space.
The duct sealing job may be inferior. It's also entirely possible that air from the attic space is being drawn into your home from unsealed holes where electric cables and plumbing vent pipes penetrate the top plates of the walls that connect to the roof trusses or the ceiling joists.
The simple solution is to install three turbine roof vents, many call them whirlybirds, up on the roof. You'll also need great soffit ventilation strips put in that allow outside air to flow up and into the attic space so the asphalt fumes are exhausted out of the top of the roof. The soffit ventilation needs to be continuous all the way down the soffit.
If the turbine vents don't work, then you'll need one or two power ventilators that move lots of air.
You can't stop the offgassing and you need to VENTILATE it outdoors bringing in fresh air into the attic.
Thank you Tim, I'll let the landlord know!
You are a blessing!
We have a new roof and the smell is getting into the house from skylights.
I am having trouble with burning nose, eyes and throat.
This happens when the sun is out.
Did not happen with first roof many years ago
My skylights previously had a metal flashing. New roofer used the black wall and valley shield with the sticky back instead and then step flashed but I feel maybe the smell is getting in somehow but no luck in getting this removed and using metal again.
Did you ever get an answer to this?
I'll answer both of you. I re-roofed my own house four years ago and used the best Grace Ice & Watershield asphalt membrane to flash my Velux skylights. I have never had an asphalt odor issue. Perhaps the skylight has all sorts of air leaks contributing to the issue. If you stop the air leaks, then the asphalt odor can't get indoors.
Just got a new roof. No attic space . My master bath that has the skylight smells horrible the last few days when it's been hot .
My attic does not smell of the shingles only the room with the two skylights.
I'm having the same problem. Skylight isn't securely fastened and flashings are failing. Smell is getting in through poorly attached skylights.
How do you keep the smell from getting in through the windows as the roof off gasses and wafts through windows and doors? Will proper siding and roof ventilation take care of it because I have that covered. Even installed an attic fan. Next step is air sealing attic space to living environment, but don't see how that will help with fresh air situation. Anyone got any answers? Haven't been able to live in my home for 1 year since roof was put on. I can't believe outgassing is even still occurring.
I was told that GAF has a ventilation system that comes with the shingles. Every 6 rows, there is some sort of ventilation strip on the roof. And yet it has been a whole year and I can still smell my roof throughout the house. We have a ridge vent and an attic fan and nothing helps. Any ideas please?