The presence of mold in your home contaminates the ambient air and can be the cause of many diseases. Eye irritation, breathing problems, fatigue, and headaches are some of the health problems you expose yourself to if you let these microscopic fungi gain traction.
This problem can also lead to rotting of building materials and affect the structure of your home, which will generate very expensive damage. This article informs you about ways to better react to signs of mold in your attic.
How to recognize mold in your attic?
Mold is a colony of fungi invisible to the naked eye that can settle anywhere in your home, especially in the attic. They are invisible to the naked eye and are caused by many factors. Excess water or moisture explains the prevalence of these microorganisms in the attic, which is generally exposed to rain and snow. But, they can also be caused by the presence of an excessive amount of native materials such as cardboard or gypsum board, hence the usefulness of doing a decontamination of asbestos to eliminate them. But by what signs are they identified?
The presence of black and greenish spots
Mold detection is not always easy. However, the presence of black or greenish spots in some places of the house and especially at the attic is a clue that does not deceive. These stains are usually formed on the roof, wood, joists or drywall.
Absence of snow on the roof or formation of ice bars
Another clue (and not the least) is the momentary or total absence of snow on your roof, although this is the case next door. In some cases, the snow, although present, melts relatively quickly. Well, be aware that mold has established itself there and accumulates heat, which is the cause of the sudden melting by snow.
Indeed, it sometimes happens that the melted snow flows to the ends of the roof and freezes again. This case is remarkable in houses where only the habitable part is heated. The newly frozen ice piles up, resulting in the formation of ice bars at the ends of the roof and the absence of ice near the attic.
In addition, the rust of nails, the accumulation of water, the discoloration of beams, frameworks and other building materials, the decongestion of clogged vents, the degradation of insulation, the smell of enclosed … are significant indices. It should be noted that mold can also settle at air bypasses that are not sealed in the attic.
Simple ways to fight mold
To fight mold in your attic, the best solution is to treat the problem at the source. Here are some tips that will be useful to you:
Solve the moisture problem and optimize ventilation
Moisture is one of the main sources of the presence of mold. It is therefore necessary to correct the origin of the humidity which can be the water vapor generated during a hot bath or the hot air released by poor ventilation. By correcting these defects, you will not only eliminate mold, but you will also be able to prevent it.
Do not forget to ventilate your home as well as possible. Controlled mechanical ventilation is suitable for all modern constructions. But this should not prevent you from resorting to natural ventilation. For example, you can let in natural air by opening your windows morning and evening.
Monitor plants
Plant soil promotes the proliferation of microfungi (mold). It is therefore necessary to scrupulously monitor the traces of mold on the plants and remove them as soon as they appear. Also pay attention to piles of dead leaves and compost. They represent nests for mold.
Indeed, mold spores spread at the slightest air flow, which means that being well outside, they can in no time colonize your attic. That is why you must apply yourself to erase the slightest trace that indicates their presence in any place around.
Trust a specialized structure
To permanently cut short the presence of mold in your home, it would be better to call on a specialized agency. The task seems trivial, but to obtain convincing results, it can involve mastering many techniques. Indeed, mold removal involves technical procedures that only professionals can implement.
Mold decontamination , which is one of these techniques, requires the use of the right products and a decontamination protocol for an effective and lasting result. Mold removal experts offer a wide range of services from cleaning your glimpse to industrial disinfection.
