How to Prevent Attic Mold

You can easily prevent attic mold from growing, if it’s not too late already.

I went through just a couple of hundreds files from my recent inspections in search for some pictures and I’m overwhelmed with a number of mold contaminated attics.  While inspecting, I’ve never realized that, but it seems that this area is completely off limits for some homeowners.  So, I decided to bring a little attic awareness into your daily routines, and hope you’ll appreciate it.

There are a few factors that have a major impact on making attic area a “mold friendly” environment:

• Inadequate attic ventilation – #1 cause of mold growth in the attic!
• Bathroom / kitchen / dryer vents discharging into the attic
• Inadequate / missing attic floor insulation
• Improperly insulated cathedral ceilings and skylight chases
• Furnaces and water heaters installed in open attic
• Plumbing vents open into the attic – uninsulated air ducts
• Poorly insulated ceiling penetrations, attic access panels

Just the first two items combined together could transform your attic into the steamy, mold contaminated room during the cold season.  Any warm air trapped under the roof will form condensation on framing, decking surfaces, and roofing nails creating mold nesting habitat.  Some homes have more than one attic and upper one, usually located above the bedrooms and bathrooms is always more suspectible of being contaminated, because warm air from lower parts of the house will naturally raise up, transfer through the ceiling and all its penetrations into the attic.  Solutions to attic problems are very simple, and all you need is a knowledge of what is going on above the ceiling.  Once everything is properly done, you won’t have to worry about any mold growth under the roof, but I still highly recommend to monitor it periodically.  So, let me walk you through your attic, stay close and watch your steps carefully—before you look for a potential problem in the attic, make sure that your feet have a proper support.

For more information on this topic please email or call our office.