Attic Fan And Mold

Attics usually have a passive ventilation system in which outside air comes in through the soffit eave vents at the bottom warms up in the attic and escapes through the can or ridge vents at the top because hot air rises.

Attic fan and mold.

Still in a house with central a c there may be leaky ducts in a moldy attic or an air handler with a filter holder that isn t airtight. Require providing some sort of ventilation in attics in order to prevent or reduce damage to roofs caused by moisture laden air being trapped in attics. Attic mold can happen in warm or cold weather. And occupants who use the attic for storage can disturb mold growth.

While damp and warm climates are a prime breeding ground for our fuzzy friend other conditions that bring mold include lack of ventilation and proper sheathing. An attic fan works by exchanging the hot air in your attic space for fresh air pulled through the vents. Building codes throughout the u s. While building codes do not require any sort of fan in attics to increase ventilation a solar attic fan is a great way to accomplish this without increasing your home energy costs.

Since warm air rises if it comes into contact with the cold attic sheathing then condensation occurs. Frost buildup on the underside of the roof sheathing in winter. Mold needs 3 things to grow. When an attic is stuffy that indicates you have a ventilation problem which often results in mold problems.

Then spores from attic mold growth can be entrained into the mechanical system. Mold will survive in almost any environment that is the right temperature has moisture even in the air and has something for food e g. If you used the attic fan during the winter to ventilate the roof it may have contributed to the moisture condition responsible for the mold. Related to 3 above this practice can pump warm moist air into the attic where it can be trapped and begin the cycle of mold growth.

High humidity in a space like an attic can lead to mold and a spill in a carpeted area of your home that isn t quickly taken care of can also lead to mold under the carpet. Dryer vents plumbing vents kitchen or bathroom fans vented into the attic. Sure mold can smelllike a lot of things but an attic with mold will always have a pretty musty type odor. Even with proper ventilation your air should not be vented directly into an attic.

A musty smell in the attic. Moisture food and warmth. Solar attic fan to prevent mold. Mold located on ductwork on roof decking trusses or just about anywhere in the attic is simply a problem of excessive moisture.

This will help to avoid premature damage to the shingles or mold building up in moist hot. Causes of mold in your attic. If you find black spots in your attic and you are thinking it could be harmful black mold you do not necessarily need to panic.