What Causes Mold in an Attic?

If there's mold in your attic, you are not alone. In fact, attic mold is a common issue affecting countless homes in Dallas just like yours. There are many factors that contribute to mold in attic spaces. Read on to learn more about attic mold, its causes, and how to eliminate it.

Is Attic Mold Dangerous?

Mold in attic spaces can pose a significant health hazard, especially for those with mold allergies. Mold allergy symptoms are similar to those associated with other upper respiratory allergies and include the following:

Coughing
Postnasal Drip
Sneezing
Stuffy nose
Runny nose
Dry skin
Nose, throat, and eye irritation
Watery eyes

Whether you are allergic to mold or not, long-term exposure leads to various health problems, some of which may be severe, including:

Prolonged respiratory issues
Persistent headaches or migraines
Increased exhaustion
Muscle cramping
Sensitivity to light
Weight gain
Hair loss
Mental health issues

Is It Normal to Have Mold in Your Attic?

Unfortunately, attic mold is common in many old and new homes. The good news is that our attic mold removal services can deal with the problem swiftly and efficiently. If you find black mold in attic spaces, don't panic. It does not mean that your home is uninhabitable. However, you should address the problem as soon as possible.

Causes of Attic Mold

Attic spaces are breeding grounds for mold as moisture accumulates in attic spaces due to a whole host of problems, including:

Roof damage: A leaky roof is a common cause of mold in attic spaces because mold thrives in wet areas with poor ventilation. If water makes its way inside and can't dry, mold will develop.
Ventilation issues: Poor attic ventilation can generally cause attic mold even without a roof leak. When hot air from inside the home and cold air from the outside combines inside the attic, condensation develops, and moisture builds up.
Missing attic insulation: The better your attic is insulated, the less likely it is that hot air from your home will get trapped in the space and interact with the cold air to cause condensation. Therefore, missing attic insulation causes attic mold to develop.
Ceiling damage: When there is ceiling damage in your home, particularly in the bathroom or kitchen, it can cause mold in attic spaces above. That's because warm, wet air from below is making its way into the attic.

First Signs of Attic Mold

There are several early warning signs of attic mold to look out for, including:

Dark staining on wood, joists, or drywall
A musty or mildewy smell
Hot, stuffy, humid air
A build-up of frost on your home's roof sheathing
Moisture around your home's smoke detectors

The only way to truly know if attic mold is present in your home is to enlist the help of a professional mold inspector who will look for signs of water damage, excess moisture, and active mold infestation. Our Dallas mold specialist can perform a through mold inspection to identify mold in your attic.

Even if you have not noticed any of the above signs, mold may still exist.

What Happens If You Don't Adequately Address Attic Mold?

In addition to the many health problems that attic mold can cause, mold growth can deal significant structural damage when left unchecked. Attic mold can spread into your home's roof and wall systems, and into other areas of the home. Furthermore, because mold is usually an indicator of an underlying moisture issue, chances are there is some other damage to your home that will likely worsen over time.

How to Get Rid of Mold in Attic Spaces

Although every home's mold problem is unique, hiring a Dallas mold remediation expert from Mold KO prevents future mold problems. Our mold removal specialists will take several steps to address your attic mold problem.

The steps we take are as follows:

Identify the areas affected by moisture
Isolate the area affected by mold
Remove any materials damaged by mold
Clean the area to prevent the mold from reproducing
Dry the affected area
Replace any damaged materials

Dallas Professional Mold Removal Service for Attic Spaces

Attic mold may be commonplace, but it should not go unaddressed. Black mold in attic spaces causes health complications and significant structural damage. Hiring our professionals is the only way to remove mold in attic spaces successfully. The mold remediation experts at Mold KO know precisely how to find mold in attic spaces and throughout your home and eliminate it.

So if you want to stop mold in its tracks, contact the only real professionals who can give you the results you need by calling 469-498-8722.