How Can I Tell If The Leak In My Roof Will Cause Mold?

Will a leaking roof cause mold? You may already know that high humidity in your attic (from a leaky roof) can cause condensation and damage furniture in your living space. But mold? That can be a serious health issue. 

Spreading

Mold spores are in every cubic foot of air, with mostly harmless results. When mold spores find porous, moist surfaces with almost no air movement, they can propagate quickly. Within 48 hours, mold spores can spread on a damp surface. 

Around 18 days after first taking hold, mold will become visible as either black or green stains on rafters, sheathing, and insulation. Once it begins spreading, very little will stop it. 

Sick

Because mold spores constantly, mold in your attic will soon waft its way into your living space. Unless you carefully control humidity and clean conditions, mold will spread on ceilings and walls with remarkable speed. 

A roof leak provides the necessary moisture for mold to spread. If wood surfaces in your attic space are already damp from an unrepaired roof leak, mold has a huge advantage and will capitalize on the easy access to soft, porous wood surfaces. 

With mold in the attic and ready to spread to your living space, indoor air quality can become compromised. Family members with sensitive respiratory systems or compromised immune systems could become sick. 

Solved

Too many internet myths encourage many homeowners to head into musty, moldy, moist attics to attack mold with bleach sprays. The last thing mold needs is more moisture, and bleach does not destroy with perfect effectiveness. 

Until your neighborhood roofer repairs the roof leaks, you will be in a never-ending battle to reclaim your Massachusetts or Rhode Island home and rid yourself of mold. You can enlist a mold remediation service for professional help, but that roof leak must first be stopped.

Solve the roof leak first with help from your local residential roofer. Next, allow the attic to dry out. Then invite mold experts in to destroy the attic mold. You may need to have soggy attic insulation carefully removed and replaced with clean, fresh insulation. Couto Construction serves homeowners in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and Rhode Island with a full range of residential roofing services. Contact us today to see how we can help you prevent mold, improve energy efficiency, and boost your home’s value with a fantastic new shingle roof.