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MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE to TEST CLEAN PREVENT

AIR CLEANER PURIFIER TYPES
AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS
AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR
AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
ANIMAL ODORS IN BUILDINGSS
ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES

BASEMENT MOLD
BATHROOM MOLD
BIBLIOGAPHY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, MOLD, IAQ
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS

CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION
CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION
CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION
CAT DANDER in BUILDINGS
COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS
CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS
CPSC Indoor Air Pollution Book Online Copy

DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS

EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IAQ, GAS, MOLD

FIBERGLASS HAZARDS
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FORMALDEHYDE HAZARDS

GAS EXPOSURE EFFECTS, TOXIC

HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
HOUSE DUST ANALYSIS

INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INSULATION MOLD

MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, TABLE OF
MYCOPHOBIA, STAINS MISTAKEN for MOLD

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURES
OZONE HAZARDS
OZONE for MOLD OR ODORS

RADON HAZARD TESTS & MITIGATION

SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE
SICK HOUSE IAQ QUESTIONNAIRE
SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS

VENTILATION in BUILDINGS

More Information

Photograph: typical mold on attic side of ceiling drywall after a roof leaks -  © Daniel Friedman Where to Look For Mold in Attics
     

  • ATTIC MOLD - Where to look for mold in a building attic - how to find visible attic mold, hard to see mold, or hidden attic mold
    • ATTIC MOLD CAUSES
    • ATTIC MOLD IS A PROBLEM ?
    • ATTIC MOLD - IS IT TOXIC?
    • ATTIC MOLD, WHERE TO LOOK
    • ATTIC MOLD, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
    • ATTIC MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC?
    • ATTIC MOLD ROOF TEAROFF
    • ATTIC MOLD ENCAPSULANTS
  • Questions & Answers about exactly where to look for mold contamination in building attics and lofts or cathedral ceilings
  • References

Click to Show or Hide Related Topics

  • MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE - home
  • ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
  • ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS
  • ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD
  • AIR TEST FOR MOLD: ACCURACY
  • CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION
  • CRAWLSPACE MOLD ADVICE
  • DISASTERS: BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR - home
  • DRYWALL MOLD
  • DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE
  • EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IAQ, GAS, MOLD
  • HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
  • INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
  • INSULATION MOLD
  • MILDEW in BUILDINGS ?
  • MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
  • MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold?
  • MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
  • MOLD APPEARANCE on VARIOUS SURFACES
  • MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
  • MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
  • MOLD CLEANUP, DO IT YOURSELF
  • MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE to GET RID OF MOLD
  • MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
  • MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
  • MOLD EXPOSURE STANDARDS
  • MOLD PRODUCTS, INEFFECTIVE
  • MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS
  • MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS
  • MOLD TEST vs. PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS
  • MOLD TEST KITS
  • MOLD TEST METHOD ACCURACY
  • MOLD TEST REASONS
  • MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY
  • MOLD TESTING SERVICES
  • MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS
  • MYCOTOXIN EFFECTS of MOLD EXPOSURE
  • OZONE for MOLD OR ODORS
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Attic mold contamination inspection, where to look: this article explains how and where to inspect or test for mold in building attics and roof cavities. This article is part of our series: FIND MOLD in buildings, HOW TO which describes how to find mold and test for mold in buildings, including how and where to collect mold samples using adhesive tape - an easy, inexpensive, low-tech but very effective mold testing method. (See TEST KITS for DUST, MOLD, PARTICLE TESTS for details).

Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR ATTIC MOLD - Places to look for attic mold

Photograph: toxic mold on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing -  © Daniel Friedman

Readers of this article series about black, white, green and other colored mold on attic and under-roof surfaces should also be sure to read ATTIC MOLD CAUSES and also see INSULATION MOLD where we describe the risk of non-visible problematic mold hidden in building insulation.


This brown mold on plywood roof sheathing visible in an attic is an indicator of wet or damp attic conditions. It is common to identify Cladosporium sphaerospermum or perhaps Aureobasidium pullulans in these conditions, though without a lab test we don't know what this mold is. (Click photo for larger image).


Photograph: toxic mold on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing -  © Daniel Friedman


The black staining on the plywood roof sheathing visible in this modern attic is a clear indicator of very humid or even wet attic conditions.

When you view the larger copy of this image (click photo for larger image) you may notice that insulation was pushed out into the building eaves where it blocked any intake venting. This black staining is probably mold.

Though we can't assert that this mold is harmful, we can conclude that the attic has been too wet and that roof venting is not working on this building.

Inspect attic insulation, insulation kraft paper facing, and the attic side of ceiling drywall visible in the attic floor, particularly in areas below roof leaks. It is useful to distinguish between a real roof leak or ice dam leak and more trivial drip stains from attic condensation.

Attic condensation and the resulting drip marks on the attic floor or on attic insulation, as shown here, is not itself likely to wet the attic insulation nor the surfaces below it enough to cause a big mold reservoir. However, attic condensation is evidence of wet or very humid attic conditions. Therefore I'd take a close look at the roof sheathing and framing

If attic insulation has been wet and especially if the insulation has been exposed to other moldy conditions, even if the insulation itself looks ok it may be mold contaminated.

Some types of building insulation readily harbor mold contamination even if it's not visible (such as fiberglass insulation). Other types of insulation such as cellulose, seem to resist mold growth (possibly because that material is usually treated with a fire retardant chemical which may also be fungicidal.)

Photograph: toxic mold on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing -  © Daniel Friedman


The drip spots you see on attic flooring and insulation in this photo are from attic condensation which formed on protruding roof shingle nails in the attic where it formed frost in cold weather, then melted and dripped onto the attic floor.

This indicates poor attic venting and possibly humid conditions. But there probably was not enough leakage to cause a mold infection of the insulation or drywall below.

Spot checks for visible mold in the most-likely or most-dripped-on area may be all that's needed.

Photograph: toxic mold on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing -  © Daniel Friedman

Look for mold around roof leak areas & water stains in the attic: at the eaves where shingles are more worn or where ice dam leaks may occur in freezing weather, at roof penetrations for chimneys and plumbing vents

Attic or Under-roof Condensation Drip Marks: Some "leak stains" you may see on the attic floor or on insulation are not really due to leaks from above. You may be looking at more trivial drip stains from attic condensation.

Attic condensation and the resulting drip marks on the attic floor or on attic insulation, as shown here, is not itself likely to wet the attic insulation nor the surfaces below it enough to cause a big mold reservoir. However, attic condensation is evidence of wet or very humid attic conditions.

Therefore take a close look at the roof sheathing and framing in an attic that has been moist or humid even if there have been no roof leaks.

The mold shown in the attic photographed here was identified as Aspergillus sp. on attic mold visible on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing near the building eaves. 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. (Click photo for larger image).


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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Home Reference Book - Carson DunlopThe Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

    Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
  • GO TO Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course Information - How to Become a Home Inspector: Carson Dunlop's nationally recognized Home Study Course, selected by ASHI the American Society of Home Inspectors and other professionals and associations. This website author is a contributor to this course.
    Building inspection education & report writing systems from Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd
  • Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
    Special Offer
    : Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

  • Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
  • Adkins and Adkins Dictionary of Roman Religion discusses Robigus, the Roman god of crop protection and the legendary progenitor of wheat rust fungus.
  • Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
  • "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
  • US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [ copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
  • US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - - en Espanol

Mold Contamination Testing, Cleanup, Prevention: references & products

  • GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminantsThe Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
  • Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
  • Allergens: what they look like in buildings
  • Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
  • Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon)
  • Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
  • Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
  • Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
  • Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
  • Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
  • Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
  • "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
  • "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
  • "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
    Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
  • "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
  • Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
  • Fiberglass: Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
  • Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
  • Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
  • Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
  • Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
  • Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
  • MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Photos of what mold looks like in buildings
  • MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD Photos of NOT-mold material that is sometimes mistaken for mold
  • MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
  • MOLD BY MICROSCOPE Mold under the microscope - photo identification of the most common indoor molds found in buildings
  • Mold FAQs Answers to Most Questions about Indoor Mold, Mold Related Illness, Mold Cleanup, Mold Prevention
  • US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [ copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
  • Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
  • Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab or to any mold lab you wish
  • Most Common Indoor Molds Found in buildings, A Table of
  • Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
  • Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
  • Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
  • US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - - en Espanol

OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides Mold

Mold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.

  • Fiberglass building insulation and HVAC duct work insulation hazards
  • Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
  • Other environmental risks: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, environmental illness, fiberglass, MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic gases, etc
  • Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential buildings lists a number of toxic indoor gases which we test for, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
  • Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
  • Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
  • Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings, and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some help from a licensed pest control expert.
  • ...

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