How To Tell If I Have Mold In My Attic

It also helps that mold commonly possesses colors that stand out from its surroundings such as pink yellow orange or white.

How to tell if i have mold in my attic.

Picture of mold in the attic. Sometimes a roof leak is bad enough that water leaks into the floors below and becomes immediately apparent. If you have an attic in your house that is covered in sheets of fiberglass insulation then you may be wondering how to tell if your insulation is dirty or moldy. A mildewed surface is often difficult to distinguish from a dirty one.

Check for colored spots. Click photo for larger image. Also notice the condensation stains at the shingle nail more evidence of a history of attic moisture which was a factor in this mold growth. Attic mold that is dark gray or black is typically toxic and spreads very fast.

If the area remains dark you probably have dirt. What follows are several signs that attic mold is present in your home. One of the easiest ways to figure out if there s mold in your attic is to look for colored spots throughout the area. When you go to the attic look around the area for spots that seem out of place.

Dirt that can attach to your insulation includes dust dirt from outside air that does. On attic mold visible on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing near the building eaves. Mold in attic is fairly common because attics are often damp. If it lightens after one to two minutes you have mildew.

Even if your attic is well lit bring a flashlight so you can see clearly in dimmer areas. Even if your roof and windows don t leak though humidity in the attic can lead to the growth of mold. The mold shown in the attic photographed above was identified as aspergillus sp. To test for mold and mildew and how to tell if your house has mold simply dab a few drops of household bleach on the blackened area.

Depending on how well the house is sealed this movement often leads to an accumulation of warm air in the attic and that can contribute to mold growth. Attic mold can also damage the home. The normal movement of air in a house is from the cooler lower floors to the warmer upper ones and finally out through cracks in upper windows and walls. Dirt and mold can adhere to the fiberglass sheets.

They would appear to be brown green orange or white. Look for colored spots. If your roof leaks or any attic windows leak you ve got moisture in your attic and probably need to consider attic mold removal.