Attic Mold Prevention- The Mold Series

What gives?

The most common cause of attic mold

Contrary to popular belief, most of the mold present in attics is not caused by outside water intrusion. While that can certainly happen, in most cases the trouble is caused by the heat generated during the cold winter months. In this blog we will talk about how this happens, and discuss attic mold prevention.

The process

The heat present in our homes tends to travel upward into our attics. It resides there, trapped, and if not properly vented, condensates. The condensation has nowhere to go, therefore creating the perfect environment for mold growth

Attic mold prevention

What can I do to prevent attic condensation and mold?

One of the quickest things to check is whether or not your attic insulation goes all the way to the sides of the attic, blocking the soffit. Too much insulation might result in decreasing the air flow to the bottom sections of the attic.

Types of attic ventilation systems

Ridge vent

The ridge vent is the vent that is located all the way at the top of your attic and does an excellent job letting out the hot air accumulated at the top of your roof peak.

Rooftop fan

Mechanical rooftop fans are located on the side of the roof slope- they are designed to circulate the air before it starts to accumulate at the peak of your attic. A lot of times they are also paired with a humidistat control which activates the fan when the humidity levels indoors are greater than outdoors. Excellent tool for attic mold prevention.

Gable vent

Gable vents are usually found on the front and/or back walls of your home. They come in a myriad of styles to compliment the exterior of your home

Soffit vents

This vent type is located in the lowest portion of the attic- it’s the most inconspicuous vent of all the vents we mentioned, but don’t discount it’s important role of letting in outdoor air.

How it all comes together

Taking ownership of the quality of the air in your attic will prevent a lot of mold troubles. Scroll through the below photos to see some examples of attic mold we encountered at our customer’s properties.