Replies

1. 
   Robert_Villa | Dec 18, 2001 05:29am | #1

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   Mold grows when warm moist air is present. So warm, moist air is getting from the living space into the attic.

   The sources could be as easy as a dryer venting into the space or a bathroom exhaust fan. It also could be fairly tough like heated home air migrating up there, so a vapor barrier and insulation may be in order.

   Whole house fans with a thermostat are best used in the summer. Call an HVAC specialist or insulation specialist and locate the source of the warm moist air.

1. 
   Bob_Walker | Dec 18, 2001 05:59am | #2

   *On a basement, crawl or slab? What kind of attic vents?In my area (NW Ohio, not much different from Chicago) usually a lot of mold in the attic reflects a very wet crawl space!?!You'll get mold in the attic when you have condensation; you have condensation when relatively high humidity air hits a cooler surface.(Bet the mold is on the north or east roof plane, most of it closer to the eaves.)You need laminer flow of air: adding power vents and a humidity controlled power vent might not work and in some cases can make the situation worse by creating relatively dead spots.Stop the moisture (most important) and improve the venting.Consider getting a good home inspector to take a look. (We are trained to look at the whole house as a set of inteacting systems. I'll bet the roofer didn't look at or conside basement/crawlspace moisture!)

1. 
   piffin_ | Dec 18, 2001 06:21am | #3

   *The fact that the mold increases with more power venting tells me that the power vents are sucking warm moist air from the housr into the attic. That means that you need to seal/stop that from, happening. First, make surre there is enough soffit vents so the exit vents have someplace to draw from other than interior air. Second, seal up possible leaks at penetrations from living space into the attic. - cieling light fixtures etc. Third, Make sure fart fans and dryer exhaust are directed to the exterior and not loose into the attic.Fourth, educate the owners so they don't do something stupid like leaving the attic access lid open.

1. 
   Randy_Rogers | Dec 22, 2001 07:55pm | #4

   *So many good thoughts regarding addressing the underlying problem. I have seen too many situations where only the symptoms are addressed. One of the problems, of course, is the homeowner who has already "determined" what he needs and calls that focused specialist. A long time ASHI inspector in your area will likely have the answer and will not try and sell you a darned thing.

1. 
   Bob_Walker | Dec 22, 2001 09:27pm | #5

   *Randi's reference to "A long time ASHI inspector in your area" refers to a home inspector who is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors, the oldest and most widely recognized trade association for home inspectors.ASHI inspectors look at houses as a whole system, not just the attic, e.g., and don't do work on homes they inspect; hence aren't skewed by a particular point of view or analysis.There is a "find an inspector near you" feature at the ASHI website: http://www.ashi.com/Another org for home inspectors is the National Association of Home Inspectors. I don't know much about them, but they are at http://www.nahi.org/(I am a member of ASHI, myself.)

2. 
   dean_sordyl | Dec 22, 2001 09:29pm | #6

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   I live in Illinois in the Chicago area and have two customers with humidistat controls on their attic exhaust fans. There was mold so a roofer added the fans with controls. But more mold is developing. Has anyone had this problem and determined a fix? In both homes the fans are running more and the mold is increasing.

   Dean Sordyl, Sordyl Services, Mount Prospect, Illinois