Finding Mold in Your Attic
October 11th, 2011
Have you recently gone up into your attic and got the surprise of seeing mold? When most people think of mold in their house the first place that comes to mind is their basement. Basements commonly have mold and mildew because it’s the lowest point in your house and usually the place water will end up traveling to. Not sure if you guessed it yet but if the attic is the highest point of your house than where do you think the first place water reaches? That’s right……..! Your attic!
Let’s discuss some of the causes of attic mold. You might be getting water into the attic from a damaged area of the roof. The roof can be damaged from falling tree branches or even a pesky animal that dug its way into the home. Make sure to inspect around your chimney and all other vent areas for signs of leaks. Attic mold is very commonly caused from poor ventilation to where moisture levels have remained too high for too long a period of time.
It’s very common to have moisture and humidity build up in the attic space of your home and that’s why proper ventilation is very important. A home should have a ridge vent running the length of the house and sides vents. If dampness is still an issue they make electric attic fans that can be installed on the ruff that are triggered by temperature and humidity levels. When you inspect the inside of the attic you might see some dampness on the plywood. This dampness and moisture build up could be a sign that you’re in need of a new roof.
It’s very important to try and catch attic mold in your house early because the damage can travel fast. If you have a water leak than chances are it is traveling inside of the walls to other parts of the home. This can cause major mold problems along the way, all the way to the basement. Moisture and water will also build up on and behind all of the insulation. With all of the variables involved its highly recommended to have a professional mold inspection done by a qualified company in your area. Its important to know what you’re dealing with so you don’t waste any time and even more money.
How would you clean up attic mold on your own?
Proper attic mold remediation, first you have to make sure that the leak or cause of moisture has been repaired and won’t come back. If you’re going to handle mold on your own than its recommended to wear a mold suit, have eye protection and proper ventilation. Coming in contact with toxic black mold carries some serious health risks. Make sure to remove all of the insulation from the home and properly discard of it. You may need to rent a dumpster depending on the size of your mold remediation project. Use a mold testing kit to determine which areas of wood and drywall are salvageable and discard of the rest. All other areas should be scrubbed down with a professional mold killer or water and bleach solution. All areas must be cleaned thoroughly or the mold will return.
When dealing with mold in your attic and specifically toxic black mold we highly recommend you seek the advice of a mold professional. A mold inspection company that is licensed in mold remediation will have the knowledge and qualifications to take care of your mold problem effectively. You will also have peace of mind knowing that this mold removal service carries an insurance policy that will be there if you have any problems.
Don’t play with mold because they health risks involved can be very serious to you and everyone else in your home. Make sure to keep on the lookout for mold in all areas of your home and take care of any problems as soon as you become aware of them.
Categories: Causes of Black Mold, Mold Remediation, Mold Removal, Mold Testing and Inspection
