Mold in the attic will likely kill a real estate transaction in Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Comox, Courtenay, and Duncan and scare away potential buyers if it’s not decontaminated.
If you ignore a mold problem in your attic, do not expect the next buyer of your house to do the same when it will inevitably be discovered during the home inspection. Home sellers take a significant risk of buyers walking away if mold is discovered.
It’s better to be proactive and fix it before you are ready to sell. Then the mold could possibly be discovered during a home inspection which can lead a buyer to decide to walk. If the buyer decides not to walk, they will almost certainly want it fixed before closing (or receive a big credit at closing/price reduction), and it’s possible that the bank will require that the attic mold is remediated before giving a loan to the buyer.
Signs of attic mold
Many homeowners in Nanaimo, Qualicum and Parksville first learn about their problems before selling their home. The buyer’s home inspector notices the mold in the attic right before the closing date, which causes both buyer and seller to panic, often putting the whole deal in jeopardy.
Here are the main signs of attic mold:
Dark stains on plywood (roof sheathing)
Mildew smell in your attic
Hot and stuffy attic air
Frost buildup or roof sheathing
Water dripping from smoke detectors and ceiling fans
Dark stains on attic plywood
If the plywood in your attic shows any black discoloration, the problem has moved beyond moisture. If your attic plywood is stained, you have mold.
Mildew smell in your attic
Trust your nose. A musty or moldy smell in the attic means a moisture problem somewhere. If you suspect that you smell mildew anywhere in your home, especially in your attic, you may have a mold problem and should check it out right away.
Wet insulation
Not only is this a sign that you may (or soon will) have a mold problem, but when insulation gets damp or wet its ability to insulate becomes significantly diminished, costing you extra money to heat/cool your home.
Hot and stuffy attic
Attics should feel breezy if they are adequately ventilated. When an attic is stuffy, that indicates you have a ventilation problem, which often results in mold problems.
Frost buildup of roof sheathing
When it’s cold enough outside, water vapor in an attic with improper ventilation can freeze on the underside of your roof. This makes it especially easy to spot.
Water dripping from smoke detectors, light fixtures or bath fans
This is a sure sign that the floor (or attic) above you has a level of moisture that needs to be addressed.
Main causes of attic mold
Ventilation issues in your home. Mold that is caused by improper bathroom or kitchen fan exhaust.
Roof issues and roof leaks are another main cause.
Ventilation issues – The most common cause of attic mold, by far, is blocked or insufficient ventilation of the attic space.
Attics usually have a passive ventilation system in which outside air comes in through the soffit/eave vents at the bottom, warms up in the attic, and escapes through the can or ridge vents at the top (because hot air rises). That cycle creates an excellent, breezy airflow and a well-ventilated attic.
Common ventilation issues in attic
Blocked soffit or eave vents.
Often soffit/eave vents are blocked with insulation, destroying the passive ventilation system. When that system is destroyed, warm and humid air in the attic will stagnate and often condense along the cold wood sheathing in the winter, causing wet wood and subsequent mold growth throughout much of the attic.
Not enough vents
We also see mold growth in attics if not enough vents are installed. In general, 1 square foot of venting is needed for every 100 square feet of attic space.
Air can be depressurized and pulled down from the attic into the livable space.
This means it is possible for moldy attic air to enter livable spaces from the attic and affect the health of the occupants. At some point, you will probably need to go to your attic for something. Perhaps you use it for storage. Maybe it’s infrequent, but you’re exposing yourself and others (if the attic is open) to moldy air if you enter an attic with a mold problem.
An improper bathroom or kitchen fan exhaust
Dryer exhaust vents, kitchen exhaust fans and bathroom exhaust fans are designed to pump moisture OUT of your home. So make sure they terminate outside your home.
Also plumbing stacks in the attic can be a source of condensation, leading to attic mold growth. Plumbing stacks can also emit hazardous gasses, so ensure they do not terminate inside the attic.
Roof issues that cause mold in your attic
Roof leaks will often lead to a small, localized area of attic mold near where the leak occurs.
Here are a few ways to check for possible roof leaks:
Check for areas of dark discoloration/staining of wood (e.g. rafters, sheathing, joists, attic side of fascia boards, etc.).
Check roof valleys (i.e. where two roofs join at an angle), which are highly susceptible to roof leaks.
Observe vents, plumbing stacks, chimneys, attic windows and any portion of the attic/roof where dissimilar materials join each other (including flashings). These places are hotbeds for potential moisture intrusion.
Wait before replacing your roof
You rarely need to replace a roof because of attic mold. You may need to replace the roof for other reasons –like the roof is in deplorable condition due to age and wear and tear (which lead to mold growth).
Removing mold from your attic
Attics are probably the most dangerous area of your home. They are extremely dangerous even for experienced mold technicians with countless attic mold decontamination jobs. One wrong step and you could fall through the floor joists and cause yourself serious injury. If you think you have mold in other areas of your home, contact Pacific Decontamination Services.
We neutralize your mold by applying our eco-friendly, safe chemical into your attic, crawlspace, or basement. We apply our formula by spray, mist, foam, or fog depending on the job. We do not use a tent. The average time of our on-site service is approximately one hour. An additional four hours is required to achieve maximum effectiveness. We ask that you stay out of the premise for approximately 5 hours in total. Read more about how we work.
Pacific Decontamination Services uses the world’s most powerful, most effective and safe antimicrobial disinfectant, deodorization and chemical decontaminate. Our professional application will eliminate up to 99.99999% of any allergen, germ, bacteria or fungus that it touches. AND as powerful as it is, it is also completely safe.
We provide you with a certificate of decontamination, and this has been accepted in hundreds of real estate transactions as proof that the mold has been neutralized.
What do you do next? How do you solve the challenge of mold in your attic.
There are two main areas we have found again and again that allow a real estate transaction to complete. One is determining the cause of the mold; the other is decontaminating the existing mold and providing a certificate of decontamination.
Call Pacific Decontamination Services at 778-269-0208 or email us!
Serving all of Vancouver Island: Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.
Summary: Attic Mold is Common, but it Doesn’t Have to Cost You Thousands