Finding Mold in the Attic of Your Nashua Home can Indicate Several Other Problems

3/21/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Penetration from the Attic in a Nashua Home--Call SERVPRO

Moisture Fuels Mold Growth That Requires Remediation

Attics are less likely to be visited on any given day by members of your family than any other part of your home, except for crawlspaces. Attics, however, are directly over your living area, and not to the sides and below your home, where crawlspaces are located. Right under the roof, attics are also the first part of your home exposed to most of the obvious hazards that your home is exposed to daily.

In Nashua, mold in the attic can be a warning sign of different problems. Your home does not have a voice, per se, but when particular problems develop, you should pay attention to prevent existing problems from becoming worse or spreading. Mold growth in the upper areas of your home can occur with excess moisture.
 
Attics have two of the three most important requirements already in place for mold growth, simply because of the very nature of an attic. With a darkened environment rich in the cellulose found in building materials, mold spores only need to have an elevated level of moisture to come out of a dormant state.
 
Moisture in an attic can come from several places. Many are problems that can be solved. SERVPRO technicians can quickly discover these sources and put a stop to them. When we examine the ducts in the attic, we will look for holes, loose connections, areas where the tape is coming loose, and also where vents are attached to your roof. When these are not connected correctly, a significant portion of the humidity is expelled into the attic. If the conduits are not attached at all, which is sometimes the case, all of the humidity is released into the attic.
 
Ductwork in the attic supports the circulation of air from many regions of your home. Bathroom fans, the clothes dryer, your stove, and heating and cooling systems can all feed their exhaust ducts into the attic. These ducts are not the only location that can bring moisture and humidity into the attic, though. Your furnace also produces moisture, although it is a small amount. You and your family release moisture into the air every time you exhale. Plants and aquariums can also do the same. Water molecules in the air are standardized by the use of the RH scale, relative humidity, which correlates moisture with temperature.
 
While these amounts may be small, they do build up with time. Opening doors through normal activities releases much of this moisture. However, when there are small cracks between ceilings and pipes, cables, or other structures that travel from one level of your home to another, moisture can exit your living space and find its way into the attic, instead of outside through your exterior doors. Finding these openings is the first step toward closing them.
 
Another problem that might be allowing moisture to accumulate in your attic is if any shingles are loose or missing from the roof. If shingles are damaged, they can also permit water to enter. Gutters can also work against your home, instead of protecting it, if they are damaged or clogged. Cleaning them may not be enough. Gutters and downspouts should direct water only away from your home, never toward the exterior foundation. Downspouts should be attached correctly, without any gaps between them and the horizontal gutters. Doing so protects the entirety of your home, not only the attic.
 
If you have mold in the attic in your home, rest assured that SERVPRO of Nashua can remediate and not only rid your home of the excess mold, but also locate the source of the moisture that allowed mold to grow out of control. Call us at (603) 889-2311, anytime, and we can arrive within four hours after your call.