The Best Way To Kill Mold In The Attic
Mold in the attic can be a health and safety hazardwhen you spot it, you have to act fast. While this pressure can feel overwhelming, there are several ways for you to tackle your mold problem the DIY way, before you have to call in a professional.
On that note though, if you do discover advanced mold in your attic, professional help may be your only option. Similarly, if you have preexisting health conditions like asthma or other lung or allergy-related ailments itâs best to leave the mold killing to someone else. Mold, when disturbed, can release spores into the air, and even if youâre wearing a protective mask, preexisting health conditions can put you at serious risk.
Causes of Mold
While damp and warm climates are a prime breeding ground for our fuzzy friend, other conditions that bring mold include lack of ventilation and proper sheathing. High humidity in a space like an attic can lead to mold and a spill in a carpeted area of your home that isnât quickly taken care of can also lead to mold under the carpet. And just because you canât see that mold doesnât mean itâs not dangerous.
Knowing what climate and structural elements contribute to mold problems can help you know what trouble spots to check.
Hydrogen Peroxide Method
You may need to spray more than once or twice to get this method to bring the desired results.
Vinegar Method
Bleach Method
Preventing Mold Growth In Attics
The best way to prevent mold growth in attics is to keep the area well-ventilated and dry.
Cause #4 Missing Or Inadequate Attic Insulation
Attic insulation is key in not only energy conservation, but proper levels can also reduce the chance of mold growth in attic areas. As air travels up through a structure, insulation provides a barrier slowing the rate of conditioned air loss in an attic area. When an attic is missing insulation, the air movement increases significantly, and the influx of warm air can, once again, cause condensation on cold roof sheathing. This type of moisture condition resulting from condensation is a catalyst for mold growth. Its important to check your insulation and make sure that you have even and adequate coverage throughout the entire attic, especially in the lower-north-side areas.
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Why Is Attic Mold So Common
Mold on any surface in your home is a problem you should pay attention. It does not matter if it is a tiny stain on the wall that stain can grow and become a major contaminant for the air you breathe in your home. Mildew problems are more prevalent in certain places, and the attic is one of those places most likely to be attacked by mold.
Where To Look For Signs Of Mold In The Attic
If you want to look for signs of mold, you need to peek around the attic to determine your attic mold problem degree. You have to look for roof leaks near a furnace or water heater and soffit vents. Areas near the laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom vents are also worth inspecting.
In addition, inspect your insulation for moisture penetration. While these actions may reveal signs of mold growth, you should seek a more professional inspection.
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Mold In The Attic: Prevention Tips From The Pros
If you own a home, you already know that mold is a serious consideration. Left to its own devices, this sneaky invader can cause problems with your physical health, your property value and your bank account. Most people look for mold in common places like the basement or bathrooms, where the presence of moisture can encourage mold growth.
Theres a lesser-known place where mold is known to cause problems: The attic. During warmer seasons, attics trap humidity and heat, leading to ideal conditions for mold growth. On top of that, many homeowners rarely visit the attic, meaning that mold growth can go unnoticed for weeks or even months before its discovered. The attic is also a common place to store cardboard boxes and stacks of old paper, all of which provide an ideal surface to nourish mold as it continues to grow.
So why not simply let it grow? Is mold in the attic really that much of a problem?
The answer is clearly yes. When mold develops in any area of the home, the chances of it spreading to other areas is much higher. Theres also the question of your HVAC systems, which can disperse mold spores throughout the air in your home. Breathing these spores can be highly detrimental to health.
Given these facts, the importance of controlling and eliminating mold in the attic is important to say the least. Here are some pro tips on preventing mold in your attic and overhead crawlspaces!
Check for mold often
Clean the attic regularly
Is Mold In My Attic Dangerous
Sometimes mold develops in the attic. This is especially likely if there is moisture or bad ventilation, and it’s also common for mold to develop as a result of animal feces present in the attic. Just like anything else you find in your attic that isnât supposed to be there, you may find yourself wondering if mold in the attic is dangerous. The short answer is that yes, mold in your attic or anywhere else in your home for that matter is dangerous. Even if you donât notice any serious health effects, they can occur later if the mold remains and in some cases, these effects can be severe. Because of this, you should always take care of mold as soon as you find it you want to limit its impact on your health and prevent it from spreading.
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Attic Mold Is Common But It Doesnt Have To Cost You Thousands
Notice that in this article there has been no mention of taking a wrecking ball to the home! Most of the time, the only area of the home that has to be treated is the attic and nowhere else.
Mold in attics is very common and can usually be dealt with quickly and effectively. No need to panic and treat your home as if its uninhabitable and beyond repair.
Attic mold is caused by moisture and mildew issues. If your attic is well ventilated and has no moisture intrusion, you wont have attic mold to deal with.
And while it will cost some money to take care of it, know that it can be taken care of, quickly and at a reasonable cost. Your local mold professional can help. Good luck!
Improper Ventilation = High Humidity
The biggest cause of any type of mold is improper attic ventilation. Mold needs moisture to grow, which is why areas in your home that have high humidity are much more likely to develop mold problems than drier areas. Your attic comes equipped with either soffit vents, ridge vents, roof vents, and/or gable vents to ensure that humidity has a way of leaving your home. Sometimes improperly installed insulation can cover soffit vents, causing a lack of airflow. Or you may find a gable and ridge vent installed in such a way that they counteract each other, resulting in improper airflow. These issues can create an environment that is ideal for mold growth.
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Create A Bleach Mixture
If the black mold growth in your home is small enough for you to treat alone, a simple mixture of bleach and water can help. Add one cup of bleach to one gallon of water and apply it to the moldy spots. You can also find commercial black mold removal products.
Soak a paper towel in the cleaner and press it over the mold growth to dampen the area. Then start scrubbing. Avoid spraying moldy areas, since the droplets will collide with the mold spores and launch them throughout the room, making them easier to breathe in and harder to eradicate.
Be sure to dry the area thoroughly when youre done.
Do NOT mix bleach with ammonia. This combination can create toxic fumes that are far more dangerous than any mold youre trying to clean.
Pathways For Moisture To Get To The Attic
There are multiple sources of moisture in the home but why do some homes have moisture and mold problems in the attic while other homes do not? As described above, there can be varying sources of moisture in a home and every house has different conditions and pathways that will allow the moisture to rise up to the attic. What are some of the main pathways?
- Attic hatches or attic pull-down stairs
- Recessed light fixtures or even regular light fixtures
- Ductwork and ceiling vent covers
- Bathroom exhaust fans
By homoes
Your place of abode should be a healthy and comfortable environment where you can fully relax and enjoy your weekends. You might think that your house is safe as there are no visible signs of mold inside your home.
However, do note that your attic, basement, and crawlspace if you have any, are also a part of your home that needs care. Most people commonly neglect these areas of the house and as a result, this small oversight eventually leads to more disastrous and even potentially dangerous problems. If you havent checked your attic in a while, this might be the best time to do so.
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What Do Mycotoxins Do
These chemical substances can cause many health problems ranging from mild to severe. Even if you are not allergic to mold, you can be affected by mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins can be absorbed by the body in a number of ways including: through the skin, the airways , and through the intestinal lining . Detrimental health effects caused by mycotoxins can range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer.2 Chronic disease sufferers, such as people with immunosuppressive disorders or underlying lung disease may be more sensitive to molds and mycotoxins in their environment.4
One of the main ways people and pets become poisoned by mycotoxins is through eating contaminated foods. Foods such as apples, cereal grains, coffee beans, nuts, spices, dog and cat food, and more can become contaminated with fungi that produce mycotoxins.
To learn more about mycotoxins in foods check out the World Health Organizations article: Mycotoxins.
Did you know that toxic mold can affect your pets as well? To learn more about how mold affects your pets check out our article: Mold and Pets 10 Things You Most Likely Didnt Know.
What Should I Do If Have Attic Mold
The first thing you must understand is the importance of acting quickly some homeowners believe that because the attic is not an active living space like the basement or bathroom, theres no rush when it comes to mold remediation But this just isnt true. Not only do mold spores from the attic inevitably circulate throughout the house, putting your family at risk of serious health problems , mold can also cause serious structural damage to your home. The longer you leave an active mold infestation in place, the more costly the eventual repairs will be.
If you catch a mold infestation in its early stages, when its simply a thin layer resting on top of the insulation, you may be able to have the insulation professionally inspected and cleaned. Youll then need to work with your chosen mold expert to identify the source of the moisture in your attic in order to prevent the infestation from reoccurring. If, on the other hand, the mold growth is already extensive, you will need to have the insulation removed and completely replaced.
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Top Causes Of Attic Mold
The biggest cause of mold is moisture therefore, anywhere there is mold, you will have a moisture issue.
The most common moisture issues in the attic that lead to mold include the following:
Check out the following for additional details on the top causes of attic mold.
What Does Mold In Attics Look Likewhich Attic Molds Are Likely To Be Harmful
- about how to spot mold contamination in building attics: what does attic mold contamination look like?
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Appearance of attic mold contamination: how to recognize mold growth on surfaces in a building attic. Are all attic molds harmful? Does the roof need to be torn off? What cleanup and attic mold remediation steps are needed? Do we need to test or identify mold growing in an attic?
This document gives advice on how to find, test for, and remove attic mold. Here we show what mold looks like in building attics with mold photographs.
It is useful to distinguish between a real roof leak or ice dam leak and more trivial drip stains from attic condensation. Attic condensation and the resulting drip marks on the attic floor or on attic insulation, as shown here, is not itself likely to wet the attic insulation nor the surfaces below it enough to cause a big mold reservoir.
We also provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.
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How To Remove Attic Mold By Power Sanding
One such method is power sanding and wire brushing. This technique works well in smaller areas where the mold has not penetrated into the underlying material.
And, if the mold growth is in difficult to reach areas such as in joints, then dry ice blasting is a useful method. Just make to sure to gear up safely with the appropriate mold removing PPE or personal protection equipment before diving in).
The equipment for this technique can be very costly in time and money. And, it may even be prohibitive to the best of you DIYers. It is useful to keep in mind that getting rid of mold in your home, may very well be worth the cost of hiring a professional.
Other blasting methods use various media to remove mold from attic surfaces including sand, soda, corn cob, dry ice and walnut shell.
Option 1 Diy Attic Mold Removal
Before you head up to the attic, keep in mind that it is one of the most dangerous places in your home. The reasons are obvious, it is elevated and you need to do some climbing before you get there.
One slip and you could come crashing down and cause yourself some injury. Besides taking a hard fall, other potential hazards can be found up there.
These include nesting animals, bare electrical wires, and protruding nails. All these can leave you startled, electrocuted, and pierced in the foot.
This is why you have to take caution when doing any sort of work up there, not just attic mold remediation.
Now that you understand how unfriendly your attic could be, you might want to consider calling the pros to help you. But if the situation in your attic is manageable, then we can proceed.
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How To Get Rid Of Mold Growth In Your Attic Space
Luckily, there are a few tips that we can share that can be helpful for DIY mold treatments. The best time to tackle attic mold removal is before the infestation spreads across most of your living space , otherwise, youll find yourself having to deal with more than one colony. Special precautions need to be taken when addressing mold in the home, and few homeowners have the tools and resources needed to ensure that they are safe during the process. Even minimal exposure to mold during the removal process can lead to health issues for you and your family so exercising extreme caution and calling a PuroClean professional is strongly recommended.
If you are uncomfortable with dealing with mold, or the surface is larger than about 10 square feet, youll need the help of a mold professional with equipment like HEPA vacuums, PPE , and ozone machines because their combined power will make quick work of any mold that remains after cleanup is complete. If mold has already spread to other, more hidden, attic areas, youll have a hard time getting it out.
If the mold is caused by a moisture problem or a roof leak, remove all wet or moist materials you can see, especially anything soft or porous, from your attic spaces. This includes insulation, stored roofing materials or shingles, old cardboard boxes or paper products, wood materials and decking as well as other fabric-based items like clothing and carpet.
Why Does Mold Growth Occur On Attic Insulation
Technically, mold does not typically grow on the insulation itself. Fiberglass is not a viable food source for mold. Yet mold growth is often found on the top surface of attic insulation. How does this occur?
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