Most homeowners don’t think about their attic space too much. They might keep Christmas decorations up there to be dragged out once a year, or they use it to store mementos and rarely used knickknacks. However, this can be a dangerous mistake — they may fail to notice water damage and mold, which can quickly overtake this space and colonize the rest of the home.
What Causes Attic Mold Growth
Mold spores are ever-present in the environment, floating through the air and settling on organic materials that they use to fuel their growth. While these colonies are minute enough not to cause any problems, they can escalate into a full-blown mold problem in the presence of consistent excessive moisture. Attic spaces are particularly vulnerable to this issue because of several factors.
Roof Leaks
Your roof has ridge vents and other openings meant to keep air moving under the roof sheath, which helps to evaporate excess moisture and prevent mold. When these become blocked for any reason, condensation starts to percolate into the attic, creating a moisture problem that enables mold spores to grow.
Bad Insulation
In addition to proper ventilation, your attic needs to have thick insulation to keep the rest of the house warm or cool, depending on the season. Your roof may also have insulation, giving your home further protection against the elements.
Insulation that has absorbed moisture from a leak no longer adequately maintains the air temperature, and it also creates a perfect breeding ground for various molds. It’s essential to keep your attic dry, or you’ll have to remove and replace all of the insulation to prevent future mold growth.
No Air Ventilation
Poor ventilation or inadequate ventilation is a classic cause of moisture issues and, thus, mold. This may be due to improperly installed roof sheathing or attic sheathing, which doesn’t allow appropriate air flow into the attic.
Even things like not having bathroom fans or proper dryer vents will allow moist air to settle on the attic walls, which then leads to mold growth. Your house is a whole system, and ventilation issues in one area will inevitably affect the rest of the home.
Signs of Attic Mold
A mold infestation in the attic is often less obvious than in other areas of the home simply because it’s not somewhere that the homeowner inspects regularly. Moreover, there can be more difficult-to-spot signs. This allows mold to proliferate and become a serious issue.
Pay close attention to these particular signs so you know when to call mold removal specialists like PacWest Restoration for help.
Smell
Attics should not smell dank, musty, or moist. If they do, this can indicate water damage to wood and other materials, which, if not treated, will inevitably lead to a mold problem. If you do smell this, open any windows to improve ventilation, leave the area, and call mold removal experts. Don’t return to the space without personal protective equipment like a mask and gloves.
Dark Stains
There are various mold types, which come in various colors, from white mold to black mold and everything in between. In attics, you’ll likely notice dark splotches or light, smeary stains. When you touch them with gloves, they might crumble. These are mold spores being released into the air.
Wet Insulation
Damp insulation is a serious sign that moisture has infiltrated building materials, and you’ll need to act quickly to prevent mold growth. All the damp material must be removed, the area cleaned, and the old insulation replaced with fresh, dry material.
Dangers of Attic Mold
You might believe that attic mold is a case of out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, though, attic mold removal is a necessity — mold can seriously impact the rest of the home’s air quality. The microscopic spores can cause health issues, particularly in vulnerable individuals like children, the immunocompromised, and the elderly. You might notice a sore throat, headache, or a stuffy nose. In serious, long-term cases, they can even lead to asthma attacks that require medical intervention.
Your personal health is not the only thing that may suffer. In fact, your whole house may be in danger if you don’t get rid of the mold quickly. Spore-laden condensation can creep through the whole home through vents, attaching to any organic material like wall studs, where it will start to rot the material and potentially cause structural damage. It’s vital to get mold removal specialists on the case as soon as possible to protect your walls and floors.
How to Remove Mold From Attic
While it’s possible to perform mold removal on your own, because of the health risks, it’s always best to call in professionals like PacWest Restoration. We have the proper experience and materials to treat mold and prevent it from returning, such as using dry ice blasting to kill all remaining spores.
However, if you have a minor infestation and want to prevent it from getting worse, follow these steps to tackle your mold problem.
Wear Protection
Proper safety equipment is essential when trying to kill mold, as you don’t want to breathe it in or allow it to settle on your mucus membranes. At the bare minimum, you should have the following:
- N-95 respirator
- Eye protection
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Waterproof boots and shoe covers
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Long pants
Many choose to wear full-body coveralls for total protection. You may also want to wear a shower cap to keep mold particles from settling in your hair. Anything you wear while dealing with mold should immediately be removed and bagged, then washed in hot water. You’ll also want to take a shower as soon as possible to rinse off any spores that settled on you.
It’s a good idea to seal off the area by tacking garbage bags or plastic sheets over entrances with painter’s tape.
Dry Out the Area
As soon as you start your attic mold removal, open up every window you can to improve the ventilation and set up fans that will help to evaporate the moisture. If there’s standing water anywhere, blot it up with paper towels or rags, which should then be disposed of right away.
Once you’ve got all the surface water removed, set up as many dehumidifiers as you can to suck the moisture out of the air. Molds need water to thrive, so you must deprive them of this essential nutrient to get rid of them.
Clean and Disinfect
The next step in removing mold is to kill as much of the colony as possible. Start by filling a spray bottle with vinegar and baking soda, then spraying it on the affected surface. Let it sit for a bit before you remove the mold with a scrub brush, then repeat with more vinegar and let dry.
You may also choose to use hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol, applying it in the same manner. Don’t mix substances. Fill your spray bottle with one solution and stick with it to avoid dangerous chemical reactions.
Hire a Professional
To truly rid of mold, you should always work with a professional. They can perform a thorough initial inspection to identify the extent of the problem, then apply high-grade, professional treatments that kill all the spores so that they can’t spread. They’ll also apply preventative measures to ensure the mold doesn’t return, such as waterproofing the attic interior or clearing vents to improve air circulation and remove any potential contamination.
Most importantly, experts can ascertain the cause of the issue while they remove mold, whether that is roof leaks or broken roof sheathing. Consequently, they don’t just get rid of mold but prevent it from returning — and ensure that your home is safe from any other structural issues or moisture problems.
If you have a moldy attic, get in touch with PacWest Restoration at 503-746-6545 or via our contact form. We’ll remove mold and rectify the cause of the infestation so you can rest assured your home is safe and fungus-free.
Attic Mold FAQs
Can mold in the attic be removed?
Yes, mold can be removed from any space, but it requires replacing damaged materials and fixing the moisture problem that led to the issue in the first place. because the cause may not always be immediately apparent, you should rely on mold removal professionals who can rectify the problem and prevent it from returning.
What is the difference between mold removal and mold remediation?
They may seem interchangeable, but mold removal and mold remediation are slightly different. Mold removal is only about getting rid of the surface-level mold — killing it and eradicating the pernicious spores.
On the other hand, remediation doesn’t just remove mold but also addresses its root cause. It’s about reducing moisture levels, removing damaged materials, treating mold growth, and then applying preventative measures to stop mold from returning.
Is mold remediation worth it?
Absolutely. Mold remediation is a critical component of enjoying a safe, sanitary home. While you may think removing surface-level mold is enough, a mold issue doesn’t just come from nowhere — it is almost always related to poor air circulation or water leaks, which must also be identified and fixed.
Mold experts know what to look for in attics and other spaces to identify the culprit. We carefully investigate the whole space to identify other impacted areas that may not be visible to the naked eye. Some of the equipment we use is not available to consumers, and it takes extensive training to understand how mold works, what is most effective on it, and how to remove as much of the growth as possible.
Working with us means you benefit from our years of experience and our strong attention to detail. It provides you with peace of mind, knowing that your attic problem has been taken care of by the best in the Pacific Northwest.
How serious is mold in the attic?
Mold in the attic can be incredibly serious, particularly toxic black mold. The spores in your attic will float down through vents and cracks in the building, settling in other areas and damaging air quality.
Additionally, the mold will eat away at any natural materials in the area, such as wood or plaster, which degrades the integrity of the whole home. The only way to protect both yourself and your family is to remove the mold and solve the cause behind it.
How long does it take to remove mold from the attic?
This depends on the extent of the damage, where it is located, and the types of materials necessary to treat the problem. Generally, it takes one to three days, but it can take longer if there’s a very serious infestation that requires heavy-duty cleaners.
When you work with PacWest Restoration or another mold professional, we’ll test the area, dehumidify everything, and then apply treatments. We’ll test several times to confirm all the material has been removed and that moisture levels have returned to normal before we give the all-clear.
After we perform an initial mold inspection, we’ll give you a timeline of how long it will take us to spray everything down with disinfectants and repair any damage that has been done by the mold. Finally, our experience allows us to work fast and remain efficient, so you can quickly return to your everyday life.
