Mold In Your Roof? Here’s How to Know and What to Do!
Are you experiencing more sinus problems and watery eyes? How about itchy eyes and coughing? Have you begun to notice black spots on your ceiling or walls? If so, you could be suffering from mold in your roof and mold allergies.
At some point, almost every homeowner has had to deal with some time of mold, especially in high moisture areas like the bathroom or kitchen. However, not recognizing mold or letting it spread in the wrong area can have disastrous consequences. Here’s how to know if you have mold in your roof and what to do about it.
- Understand what mold is and what it looks like
- Know how to find mold in your roof
- Know how to treat mold in the roof
Mold is a type of fungus that can be found anywhere there is moisture. Often, mold forms in places with a lot of moisture or a leak is exposed. Mold comes in many forms, but the most often is mildew, and rot is a byproduct of uninterrupted mold. Mildew can have effects on your health and so can rot, not to mention the negative effects on your home.
Mold can often occur:
- Under shower heads
- In a leaky roof
- Under window sills
- Walls next to leaky doors
- Any area where moisture and heat accumulate
Mold often comes in the form of black spots on surfaces, as Nick Gerhardt puts it in Family Handy Man:
“It’s the black stuff you see in the grout lines in your shower, on damp walls, and outdoors on the surfaces of deck boards and painted siding, especially in damp and shady areas. A mildewed surface is often difficult to distinguish from a dirty one. 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. If it lightens after one to two minutes, you have mildew. If the area remains dark, you probably have dirt.”
How to find mold in your roof
Roofs are prime suspects for mold, which can lead to allergies flaring up and rot setting in. If you experience storms often, there is a good chance your roof has been susceptible to storm damage.
In turn, this exacerbates the problem of mold in your roof as more moistures can be let in through tiny cracks or holes. If you find areas such as this or find any rot, it’s a common sign you need roof repair.
In addition, not cleaning your gutter can lead to moisture being trapped inside your siding and walls, along with your roof. If you find multiple cracks and black spots on any woods or any rot in your walls, you will need to take care of that immediately.
Sitting water and leaking roofs will allow for mold to grow at a fast pace and it is important that you be proactive in looking for anything. Consider monthly roof checks for mold in your roof.
How to treat mold in your roof
There are two ways to treat mold in your roof, doing it by yourself or hiring a roofing contractor to do it for you. Whether you hire someone or not will depend on how extensive the damage is. If you find multiple areas of rot and several leaks in your roof then you need to contact a roofing company.
If you find little mold in your roof and no cracks in your shingles or roofing then it is okay to handle it yourself. However, you need to use caution when tackling the project yourself. Consult the EPA guidelines on mold cleanup in your home. Once you have the proper safety equipment, remove the moldy items from your home and spray antibacterial spray on your home to eliminate other spores.
Not sure if you have the skills and knowledge to tackle large amounts of mold in your roof? Don’t want to risk your family to more exposure? That’s okay because Galaxy Construction & Roofing are here to help make your home safe and sustainable. Contact us today and make your home mold-free!
