Is Mold In Attic Common?

Is mold in the attic a big deal? Should I worry about mold in my attic?

A lot of times, mold issues in homes are common with certain areas like crawlspaces, showers & bathtubs, as well as in walls & floors.

Mold In Attic

Mold can also be found growing in sinks & toilets, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, attic, basements, garage, ceiling, upholstery, washing machines, as well as dryers.

Here, it’s obvious that mold growth can appear in practically every section of the home. This is mostly the case in areas with sufficient moisture. So we ask; is mold in the attic common?

It is! Mold will always appear in the attic as long as there’s sufficient moisture supply. Such moisture could come from several areas as shown below.

Where to Check for Mold in Attic

To fully assess the extent of your mold problem all you have to do is look at certain areas around the attic. These include areas surrounding roof leaks, near a furnace or water heater, as well as around soffit vents.

Additional points to inspect include areas close to vents from the laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom.

Also, check your insulation to see whether moisture has penetrated. While these actions may reveal mold growth, you should call for a more professional approach to inspection.

A certified home inspector can be of great help in pinpointing the most affected areas in addition to providing ready solutions to the problem.

Answering the Question

This article started by asking how common mold issues are. The answer to that will be that mold issues are quite common in homes with moisture problems.

Your home becomes vulnerable to moisture when adequate control measures aren’t put in place. Several issues arising from moisture presence begin to appear.

With mold problem in attic determined, the causal factor(s) need to be identified and fixed first. Here, trying to have the mold removed without addressing moisture penetration will be counterproductive.

The best approach will require fixing the moisture source first before anything else.

Causes of Mold Growth in Attic

We’ve stated that mold growth in attics is a common occurrence. Now, while moisture presence has been identified as the primary cause for mold growth, it’s necessary to look at the causes of such moisture.

Identifying these helps fix the problem. Mold growth could arise from broken walls and leaky roofs.

Other causes of mold growth in attics include leaky water pipes, high humidity, poor wall construction, poor ventilation. Availability of food sources can also promote mold growth in your attic.

Let’s briefly consider each of these points before moving on control methods.

• Broken Walls

When your home has a broken wall, it’s likely to discover mold growing in the attic. Broken walls mean free moisture entry.

Now, it’s important to state that every home or living space has some degree of moisture. Most of that is lost to evaporation. With broken walls, moisture penetration tends to be higher, thus promoting mold presence.

• Leaky Roofs

Having a leaky roof is among the primary causes of mold growth in the basement. As water leaks through the roof and soaks into the ceiling material, it automatically provides suitable conditions for mold germination.

This problem worsens as long as the roof leakage isn’t addressed.

• Leaky Water Pipes

Leaky water pipes are among the issues homeowners deal with. When water pipes get cracked or broken, they let out water. This supply of water easily leads to moisture problems like mold growth.

Leaky pipes could be located anywhere within the home.

• High Humidity

High humidity presence can give rise to mold growth. It behooves you as the homeowner to ensure that your home’s humidity levels are brought under control.

Dehumidifiers are great for humidity control. It’s important to also take care of vulnerable spots such as your attic and basements.

• Poor Wall Construction

During construction work, mold growth arises from capillary action as well as high humidity and condensation. These situations are likely to affect your attic when there are no frequent inspections of your walls.

• Poor Ventilation

Without a doubt, poor ventilation is a primary cause of mold growth in the attic as well as other sections of the home. Allergens easily spread when there’s no exchange or circulation of clean new air with moisture-laden air.

One of the ways to solve the problem is by promoting proper ventilation.

• Food Source Availability

Any surface you find mold growing on is likely to be or contain a food source.

Items with some level of carbohydrates provide ready grounds for mold growth. Such include insulation, drywall, wood, carpets, etc.

Preventing Mold Growth in Your Attic

Since we started, we’ve pointed out moisture presence as well as humidity as being primarily responsible for mold growth in the attic. Fixing the problem requires focusing on moisture prevention strategies.

Luckily, there are lots of these to implement.

• Clearing your Gutter

You may want to start by making sure your gutter is kept in good working condition and free from debris accumulation. With constant cleaning, water is allowed to flow properly without diversion.

The rainy months are the most critical for gutter clearing and cleaning.

• Proper Venting

One other way of preventing mold growth in the attic is by proper venting.

Items should be vented outside and not into the attic. This way, increased moisture presence is prevented, thus making your attic area less vulnerable to moisture presence.

• Fixing Leaky Roofs

Roof leaks are primary sources of mold growth due to increased moisture presence.

So, upon noticing leaks, it’s necessary to immediately set out to fix them. This can be done through DIY procedures or by calling an experienced technician to get the job done.

• Providing Proper Insulation

What type of insulation do you use for your attic? Consider providing insulation that effectively keeps out moisture. You may have to work with a professional to ensure such is made available.

• Soffit Vents Should Be Clear

It’s important to ensure soffit vents are clear for proper airflow. This enhanced ventilation serves to discourage mold growth in your attic.

Mold growth is a common occurrence in attics especially when there are unresolved moisture issues. We’ve discussed the different ways this problem unfolds as well as strategies to prevent the problem.