Building codes typically require 1 square foot of venting space for every 150 square feet of attic space. The venting space should be equally divided between intake and outflow vents, and the outflow space should never exceed the intake. If your attic covers the entire house, a measurement of its outside dimensions will give you the area of the attic space. The “net free vent” (NFA) area of each vent you have installed should be clearly marked on it. You simply add up the NFAs of all your vents and divide that number by the area of the attic to determine whether you’re within the 1:150 ratio.

If your attic is not sufficiently vented, you probably won’t have to look very hard to find signs. They include rafters and ceiling joists that are damp or blackened with mold, matted insulation and rusty metal fasteners — screws, nails or staples. Moisture is more likely to be present during cold, rainy weather, but mold tends to grow when it’s warmer, and may be more noticeable in the spring and early summer. Put on a respirator, separate a few batts of insulation and look for mold inside, especially if the batts are clumped and flattened by moisture.

The air that circulates through the venting system is important not only for controlling moisture, but for regulating temperature, especially in the heat of the summer. If the vents aren’t supplying sufficient circulation, the temperature in the attic can rise to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or more on sunny days, and that can significantly affect the climate in your living space. It’s prudent to put a thermometer in the attic and to check it regularly in the summer. If the temperature becomes excessive, you may need to augment your passive ventilation system with some power vents.

Attic Mold Remediation With Fogging

There are no fogging techniques presently available that offer quick and convenient silver bullet treatments for remediation of mold in crawlspaces. Products and service providers may promise quick and easy results, but they have been proven to be ineffective and a waste of money.  Call today to schedule an evaluation of your attic. We will provide a free detailed estimate with easy-to-understand pricing.

Attic Mold Removal With Coatings

Many times a white paint coating like Kilz is applied by contractors or homeowners. While not all white coatings are inappropriate (some are actually engineered for mold remediation) from a visual standpoint how does the consumer, homeowner, buyer, inspector know what the product is?  We’ve seen many properties where the mold is re-growing right on the white coating material. Many companies apply a low quality heavily pigmented white coating over poorly cleaned areas to cover up remaining mold areas. White coated attic sheathing send up a huge red flag to future home inspectors. This will lead to you having to answer many mold related questions from the buyer. Remember, these coatings will peel within a few years if applied over uncleaned mold areas. This results in a difficult very expensive redo. Redoing a failed mold remediation job to a peeling attic ceiling is most difficult. Frequently, when this occurs the owner will have to have the entire attic ceiling sheathing replaced. Unfortunately, to do this, it also requires you to have all the roof shingles removed and replaced. Its important to do it right the 1st time.