How To Tell If I Have Mold In My Attic

One of the easiest ways to figure out if there s mold in your attic is to look for colored spots throughout the area.

How to tell if i have mold in my attic.

While this kind of water damage is never fun the good news is that at least you know what the problem is and can get it dried before mold starts to grow. Check for colored spots. If it lightens after one to two minutes you have mildew. If you have an attic in your house that is covered in sheets of fiberglass insulation then you may be wondering how to tell if your insulation is dirty or moldy.

Attic mold can also damage the home. Look for colored spots. Dirt and mold can adhere to the fiberglass sheets. They would appear to be brown green orange or white.

Also notice the condensation stains at the shingle nail more evidence of a history of attic moisture which was a factor in this mold growth. A mildewed surface is often difficult to distinguish from a dirty one. If the area remains dark you probably have dirt. Even if your roof and windows don t leak though humidity in the attic can lead to the growth of mold.

The most obvious sign of mold is a discoloration on the walls floor ceiling piping or other item in the room. Depending on how well the house is sealed this movement often leads to an accumulation of warm air in the attic and that can contribute to mold growth. Even if your attic is well lit bring a flashlight so you can see clearly in dimmer areas. Picture of mold in the attic.

To test for mold and mildew and how to tell if your house has mold simply dab a few drops of household bleach on the blackened area. When you go to the attic look around the area for spots that seem out of place. It also helps that mold commonly possesses colors that stand out from its surroundings such as pink yellow orange or white. Sometimes a roof leak is bad enough that water leaks into the floors below and becomes immediately apparent.

If your roof leaks or any attic windows leak you ve got moisture in your attic and probably need to consider attic mold removal. Attic mold that is dark gray or black is typically toxic and spreads very fast. The normal movement of air in a house is from the cooler lower floors to the warmer upper ones and finally out through cracks in upper windows and walls. Click photo for larger image.

Dirt that can attach to your insulation includes dust dirt from outside air that does. Even old boxes and books that have gotten wet can sprout mold but these items can easily be thrown away outside. Mold in attic is fairly common because attics are often damp.