Having a mold problem in your attic is pretty common. In general, attics provide the ideal conditions for mold—they are humid, hot, and offer plenty of food in the form of wood sheathing. And since most homeowners don’t venture into their attics often, mold can grow undisturbed for months or even years.
It’s not unusual to only find out you have a mold problem when you’re trying to sell your home. The buyer’s home inspector may find mold in your attic and make a note of it on the report, which could put the entire sale in jeopardy. The solution often requires expensive mold remediation.
How Do You Know if You Have a Mold Problem in Your Attic?
It’s easy to avoid the panic situation of finding mold in your attic just as you are trying to sell your home—have a pro come out regularly to check for mold and deal with it before it becomes a problem. Mold remediation is far less expensive if you catch the mold when it first starts growing, before it has a chance to settle in.
There are some tell-tale signs you should keep an eye out for when it comes to mold in the attic. These include dark black stains on wood surfaces, an excessively hot or stuffy atmosphere in the attic, wet insulation, mildew smells, and dripping water from fixtures in the ceiling.
If any of these are present in your home, contact Attic Projects right away.
What Are the Causes of Attic Mold?
The most basic cause of any kind of mold is moisture. Without moisture, there would be no mold whatsoever.
When moisture is present, other factors can cause the growth of mold. These factors include roof leaks, insufficient or blocked ventilation (like improper exhaust or dryer vents), and broken bathroom fans.
Of these three factors, the one that is most likely to cause attic mold is insufficient or blocked attic ventilation. In general, attics are built with a passive ventilation system. This means that outside air comes into the attic through soffit or eave vents, circulates through the space, then exits through the ridge or the vents at the top of the attic.
If the vents are blocked, the air in the attic becomes stagnant. Add moisture to the situation, and you have the perfect habitat for the growth of mold.
How Do You Get Rid of Mold in Your Attic?
There are two steps you need to take to perform mold remediation in your attic:
- Carefully and safely remove the mold, remembering that some forms of mold are toxic.
- Identify the source of the moisture and poor ventilation that caused the mold in the first place, then fix it so it won’t be a problem again.
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The good news is we’re here to help! Contact Attic Projects and we’ll come out, perform a thorough inspection, then give you a free estimate of what it would take to perform mold remediation on your attic. Leave it to the pros to get rid of your mold problem for good!
