What Are The Steps Of Professional Attic Mold Removal
Lets say you have a big mold problem. There is definitely more than 10 square feet of mold, you are having health issues, or you have decided DIY is not for you. What happens when you call a professional? When you have a mold remediation company come to your home, you need to know just what to expect.
Especially if you dont live in our service area, you should check out our post: How to Choose a Mold Removal Company. We answer every question you should ask a mold removal company, and give you the details you need to know.
Attic Mold Removal In Toronto Ottawa Montreal And Edmonton
Findingmold in your home or business can be scary and frustrating. Mold or mould is a type of fungus that is formed through a few key ingredients including moisture, a surface to grow on, and a lack of air ventilation.Attic mold is a typical place to discover mold and can be remediated with the help of Canada’s Restoration Services. Our professional mold removal company has been conducting mold inspections in attics and performing mold removal in attics for over 10 years. We are proud to announce that we provide a transferrable warranty for up to 25 years for mold removal and mold remediation in attics. The warranty is listed on the property and is transferred to the new homeowner, if you decide to sell your home.
Look For Exclusions In The Warranty
This is a big giveaway. If the service a contractor is offering doesnt actually solve the problem, the verbiage in the warranty will reveal the lack of confidence. Youll find it lurking amidst the legal jargon as an exclusion against any recurrence of moisture issues. Which, of course, is the whole reason you would seek a warranty in the first place. Mold growth only occurs when elevated moisture is present. It will not grow in a dry attic. Therefore, if a warranty becomes void in the presence of elevated moisture, the treatment hasnt accomplished anything.
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Not All Sheathing Is Equally Mold Resistant
Ironically, despite the many gains weve made in the building codes, weve still managed to install progressively worse and worse attic sheathing materials over the decades. Of course, the problem of mold growth is much more complicated than a simple choice of materials, involving ventilation, insulation, air sealing, etc. But our choices of materials havent made mold prevention any easier.
Blocked Or Insufficient Ventilation
The most common cause of attic mold, by far, is blocked or insufficient ventilation of the attic space. Attics usually have a passive ventilation system in which outside air comes in through the soffit/eave vents at the bottom, warms up in the attic, and escapes through the can or ridge vents at the top . That cycle creates a nice, breezy airflow and a well-ventilated attic. See this illustration:
However, we often see the soffit/eave vents blocked with insulation, thereby destroying the whole passive ventilation system. And when that system is destroyed, warm and humid air in the attic will stagnate, and often condense along the cold wood sheathing in the winter, causing wet wood and subsequent mold growth throughout much of the attic.
We also see mold growth in attics if there are not enough vents installed. Check your local building codes for whats required in your area, but in general, 1 square foot of venting is needed for every 100 square feet of attic space.
Any home inspector worth their salt will check a houses attic ventilation system. To pass an inspection, and to ensure that an attic stays cool and dry, make sure theres a proper system in place thats unblocked by insulation.
Knowing the proper signs of attic mold, and how to prevent it to begin with, can save you a major headache during the sale of your home.
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Does Mold On Attic Sheathing Have To Be Removed
Related Articles
Black mold is every homeowner’s nightmare, and black mold in the attic can be prevalent and difficult to address via standard black mold removal techniques. Mold thrives in dark, damp environments, and attics receive humid air from other areas of the house. Persistent attic mold can point to other issues that need to be addressed, and some forms of attic mold pose serious health hazards.
Tip
Mold on attic sheathing does not always have to be removed, but if you cannot definitively ascertain the type of mold, it’s best to remove it for your safety.
Limit Your Exposure To Mold
Its important to limit your exposure to mold and mold spores. Keep them out of your eyes and try not to inhale any.
- Wear a mask or an N-95 respirator to avoid inhaling mold.
- Wear gloves that extend to the middle of your forearm. If youre just using water and a mild detergent, household rubber gloves work fine.
- Wear goggles that dont have ventilation holes to avoid getting mold or spores in your eyes.
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Mold In Attic: How To Stop Attic Mold Growth Permanently
Mold in attic could indeed be a permanent problem if you dont treat it right. As the least room to use, an attic might be left unattended and eventually have molds in it.
Mold in attic could indeed be a permanent problem if you dont treat it right. As the least room to use, an attic might be left unattended and eventually have molds in it.
Though it may just seem like a roof problem, mold can actually be dangerous for the whole family.
As the fastest growing organism, molds in attic can multiply quickly in an hour. Imagine if you are ignoring the problems for months or even years, your roof might break down and rot by mold.
Mold grows fast in a dark and humid environment. With a right temperature, your attic can be the perfect medium for mold to grow.
Mold tends to get nutrition from the medium where it grows. In the attic, it grows on wood and absorbs the remaining nutrition in the wood.
In the end, the woods will dissolve, and it can cause harm for your house. Not to mention that it can also cause a range of health problems for the family members.
How To Treat Attic Mold From Your Attic
Attic mold is extremely dangerous. Usually found in older homes, attic mold happens when moisture occurs in poorly-ventilated areas, such as your attic. If youre seeing rust around the nails of your attic, then youll have to deal with molds in the future. However, the presence of moisture in poor-ventilation areas isnt limited to attics. It can be any room in your property as well so inspect thoroughly.
Mold is extremely dangerous. Black mold might look like the most dangerous variety, but it can only cause skin and eye irritation, nasal congestion, wheezing, and cough. Its essential to remove them from your property because these are gateway conditions that can lead to more serious problems. Furthermore, anyone with a respiratory disease or allergy can be susceptible to fungal lung infections in mold-ridden properties.
Youll often see white molds, which cause the same problems as black molds, including similar skin and eye irritations and allergies. While theyre not as problematic as they seem, youll want to have them removed from your home to prevent further ailments from surfacing from its owners.
How To Remove Black Mold has excellent recommendations that can allow you to safely remove black home. However, youll need to have safety equipment first before performing these methods. It might be best to call on reputable Calgary AB roofing services to help you build new roofing joists for your fungally-infected wood too..
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Can Mold In The Attic Make You Sick
No, it cannot. Fortunately, attic mold is not associated with the negative health issues that are linked to other forms of molds. This is because people do not spend a lot of time in the attic. As such, they do not get to breathe in mold spores that cause health problems. However, this does not mean that attic mold is safe. It could still be harmful to the occupants of your home. If not monitored, attic mold growth can cause an infestation that can pose health risks for people with allergies and other health conditions like asthma. In some instances, breathing attic mold spores can cause persistent coughing, sore throat, and sneezing.
How To Get Rid Of Mold In The Attic
Attics are an important part of our home. They serve as a storage area for many people but also as protection for the lower part of the house from the outdoor elements. Many homeowners dont go in their attic, let alone survey it to check for anything out of the ordinary.
Imagine you are up there and smell mildewchecking it out, you find mold! Mold! How can that be? Well, it is a very humid area and often goes undetected, as it is a dark space that homeowners will put stuff in storage but not walk around to check it out.
How do you get rid of mold in the attic? Use vinegar and water, alcohol, and find the source of the mold such as a roof leak. You can try to do it yourself or hire a professional. Keep in mind the attic is a very dangerous place to be and exercise caution.
Lets take a look at how the mold grows in the attic, signs of mold, how to do it yourself , and when to call in a professional.
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Diy Attic Mold Removal What To Wear To Clean Mold Safely
Before even choosing a cleaning product, you should know what kind of safety equipment to wear to clean a moldy surface.
The basic equipment consists of an N-95 respirator, goggles or eye protection, & protective gloves with long cuffs.25 Long pants, a long sleeved shirt and waterproof boots are important to wear as well.25 Closed toed shoes are a good substitute for boots, especially if you are working on a small area of mold.25
Mold is a respiratory irritant and allergen, so a mask with a N-95 respirator is important, especially if you know you are allergic to mold. A simple dust mask will NOT protect you from the mold spores.
To learn more about face masks see our post: In-depth Guide to Face Masks: Allergies, Grass Cutting, and COVID-19.
How To Know If You Have Mold In Your Attic
You can avoid an attic mold problem by either routinely checking the area for mold, or by taking necessary precautions to make sure it never happens. But you dont know if you have an attic mold if you dont know what youre looking for, so here are the telltale signs of an attic mold problem.
Getting into an attic and completing a detailed inspection is tough work! Dont want to deal with the hassle? Schedule a free attic inspection today and learn how to save energy and improve comfort in your home.
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Mold Remediation For Attics And Crawlspaces
Attics and crawlspaces are two common areas where mold is found in the home. Both are ideal for mold growth because of the presence of moisture, humidity, and wood for the food source.
Mold in the home can cause respiratory illnesses, skin, eye, and nose irritation. Once mold is in an attic or crawlspace, it can find a way into the living area of your home due to the natural air exchange in homes.
Mold is often caused by moisture accumulation in attics and crawlspaces from kitchen and bathroom fans that are not properly routed outside. It can also be caused by improper ventilation in your crawlspace or attic. To prevent mold from returning after remediation, these items need to be inspected and repaired if necessary.
Ultimately, if left unchecked, mold can cause poor air quality and can damage the structure of your home.
What are the signs of mold in your attic or crawlspace?
Smell of mildew One of the most common ways to detect mold is to use your nose. If you smell a musty, moldy smell, then mold is present somewhere nearby.
Stained wood Black or discolored wood is another sign of mold growth. It is a good idea to check your attic and crawlspace at least once a year for signs of mold. If you are not sure, our inspectors can help identify if mold is present.
Getting rid of mold growth
Prepare The Mixture To Vaporize
4 Mix 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or tea tree oil with every cup of water you need to attack your mold colony. Tea tree oil and white vinegar are both completely natural and safe for wood, but have strong fungicide properties. Mix your vinegar or oil solution in a spray bottle and spray the mold in your attic. For heavy mold work, white vinegar may not be strong enough. In these cases, try mixing 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water. Spray it and wait an hour. Peroxide is also safe and natural.
5 Rub the attic with a firm metal brush and dry the area one last time. Remove any plastic sheets and repair any leaks or vulnerabilities to prevent new mold from appearing in the future.
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Reduce The Chances Of Mold With Proper Attic Ventilation
One of the biggest causes of mold is having improper ventilation in your attic. This is intensified during the winter months when there is a significant amount of air coming in your attic versus going out. There is also a temperature variance that will create moisture buildup if not properly taken care of.
The heat leaking out of your house and into the attic combined with the already cool or cold temperatures in your attic will cause condensation. This condensation if occurring for a prolonged period of time can lead to mold growth. The worst part of all of this is that how many times a year do you go in your attic? If you are like most people very rarely. This gives the mold ample time to grow and spread. Greatly increasing the likelihood that you or your family with possibly get sick with mold poisoning.
Another important item to check is if you have a bathroom ceiling fan vent or even a dryer vent running directly into your attic. This will create and instant surge of moisture as the hot moist air is cooled by the attic air.
Another important step is to seal up any gaps around pipes or chimneys that go through your attic. This is a critical place that air can escape into your attic.
Mold In Attics Why Should I Care And What To Do About It
Its true, mold in attics rarely affects the indoor air quality in homes, so whats the big deal? Why is it a reportable issue, why does it scare homeowners and what can be done about it? This is a common issue for homes in the Pacific Northwest, so I wanted to take a moment to address it because theres also a lot of hype and misinformation out there about mold.
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Mold In Attic Health Problems
There are many health problems caused by mold in attic especially if one of the family members is allergic to it. Some of the most common problems are:
- Asthma attack
- Headache
- Allergy symptoms such as itching and rashes
Some of the problems may appear long after molds are developed in the attic. Remember that molds grow rapidly. In a few days, it will reproduce more spores.
These spores cannot be seen by bare eyes. It could be anywhere in the air you breathe. Once it gets in your body, you can get mold infection.
If you find any unusual spots in the attic of your house, you need to examine it immediately. As soon as you find out any proof of mold, it needs to be eradicated right away to avoid any further problems.
How To Kill Mold In Your Attic: Start With A Professional Assessment
Although it is possible that your mold infestation is relatively small and easy to clean up on your own , not all mold growth will be visible from any surface in your home. Hiring a professional mold diagnostic service is a critical step in determining the full extent of mold growth in your attic. While you may not even smell the slightest hint of mold in your basement, bathrooms, kitchen, or other rooms in your home, the discovery of mold in your attic could be indicative of a deeper, more systemic mold problem.
When considering what mold removal service to go with, a company that will provide assistance even if professional remediation is not necessary is the best bet. Here at Advanced Mold Diagnostics, we do just that. If the infestation is severe, we strongly recommend our professional remediation services for cleanup and prevention of further growth. However, if we catch your mold problem before it has spread too far, we offer the following instructions for cleaning the infested area and how to kill mold in your attic thoroughly.
Simple but Effective Ways to Kill Mold in Your Attic
If you would like more advice on how to kill mold in your attic, or for more information on mold detection and remediation services, contact Advanced Mold Diagnostics today.
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