Mold in Your Attic? What Every Homeowner Should Know About Bathroom Fans and Attic Ventilation
Attic ventilation is a critical component has a temperature in the attic all year round. In the summertime is to save the life of the shingles cooler plates and reduce cooling costs in the winter, reducing the temperature difference, which in turn prevents moisture from collecting in the form of condensation. Did you know that with the proper amount of attic ventilation also needed to ensure the majority of producers of gravel to enforce? Whenit comes to shaping the import ventilation concerns occur during the winter months. In winter during the coldest months, while we run our furnaces, hot air comes out cold in the attic is not heated. When the hot air coming out of the attic cool as heat rises shows always do. It seeks the highest percentages in the attic, where it merges then with the cold plates of the roof. The warm air-mass-meets-cold surface phenomena leads to a condition known as dew point, humidity createsIn the form of water droplets and ice crystals. The nails will also contribute to this problem is moisture, such as iron a good conductor of temperature and is easily the bitter cold air directly mediate cold winter in the attic. The proof can be seen in the form of drops and stains dripping under their fingernails.
Bathroom fans are vented directly into attic or Soffet areas rather than close the roof also to blame for moistureproblems which lead to mold, wood- rot and health problems. The more adults showering in the house and the longer the showers the more moisture will enter an attic. In fact in some families the bathroom fans alone are the sole culprit responsible for major mold infestations!
If you want to eliminate attic mold permanently you NEED to get EQUAL amounts of Intake Air and Exhaust or Out-take Air into your Attic!
Building scientists have proven that using a balanced ventilation system that utilizes equal amounts incoming and out going air. Incoming air comes in from under the eves through vents cut in the underside of the roof overhangs which are called soffets. Proper soffet ventilation is essential to large amounts of incoming air needed for intake. Many attics were originally vented properly but have become packed with insulation along the way by an over-zealous insulation contractor or homeowner, in an attempt to actually stop air from coming in, sadly a common mistake. This mistake was very common in the 80's and 90's. There are two basic types of Soffet vents: either a contiguous vent or a individual vents which come in round and square varieties. I generally prefer to use 6 inch by 12 inch square vents because of the ease of installation and the low material cost. They work surprisingly well and offer a lot of surface area. They can be purchased easily in brown white and silver to match virtually any siding.
Out-take air, exhaust air ventilation can take 4 basic forms: Gable end vents, ridge vents, box vents or power vents. Of the four the ridge vent is to be preferred, due to its location at the highest point of the attic, namely the ridge. Because heat always rises it is passively efficient at exhausting large amounts of heated air without the use of electricity. Be sure to select a ridge vent without a complicated filter which can become clogged; I prefer the simple metal designs for their simplistic efficient design and operation. Box vents while older and more dated can be efficient if there is a sufficient number of them located across the surface. If your attic already has square, can, or box type vents but not enough of them, it can be a less expensive solution to an inadequate exhaust air problem. The reason is simple they are cheap and easy to install and like the square intake vents can be easily purchased in several colors to match any shingle. If you have a hip roof there may be insufficient ridge length to allow for sufficient out-take; box vents can be an ideal solution for this problem. Powered vents work well, but are dependent upon electricity for operation. This both costs money and is subject to wear and tear of moving parts. Additionally in the event of power outages can leave the attic over heated, for these reasons the author does not recommend them.
Beware of mixing two different kinds of ventilation!!!
By far one of the most common, and the most troubling ventilation mistakes is the mixed use of two completely different ventilation systems. For example mixing a ridge vent with a box vent or a previously installed power vent or gable end vents. What goes wrong is this: air always follows the path of least resistance and looks for the nearest opening , often the ridge will draft air from the box vents and short circuit the entire exhaust air systems, eliminating any chance of correcting the water/moisture issues. It can also bring unwanted weather snow debris etc into the attic because box vents and gable end vents were not meant to be intake vents, which can cause tremendous damage! So remember don't mix two ventilation systems pick one and stick with it ensuring there is enough of whatever vent system you choose.
Is correcting my ventilation a cure for a mold problem in my attic?
Sadly NO, it is not a cure for mold but just for ventilation problems which create moisture issues. No matter who installs your ventilation system in the winter if you are running supplemental heat in your home your attic will be subject to some moisture from time to time during the coldest days. For this reason and several others it is a must to actually treat the mold with a system designed to remove it completely without leaving behind mold or poisonous heavy metals paints and chemicals that can make your family sick. Even dead mold can still affect your health and make your family sick. It is also a good idea to hire a mold contractor with a ventilation expert on staff, because hiring a roofing contractor and a mold contractor is always more expensive!
Did you know most contractors use toxic chemicals to kill mold which may contains carcinogens which are cancer causing agents?
In fact ,sadly, I have seen many many attic projects fail after so-called "professional treatments" :( ! That's why we train other contractors from around the world in the efficient removal of mold using family-safe all natural products that are absolutely lethal to mold. For detailed diagrams and photos of ventilation projects feel free to visit us or call us directly!
