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INTERIORS of BUILDINGS ACOUSTICAL SEALANTS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION AIR SEALING STRATEGIES ANIMAL ALLERGENS APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & ATTIC MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BASEMENT LEAKS Moisture or Mold BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BATHROOM VENTILATION BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BRICK LINED WALLS BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT BUILDINGS CRAWL SPACES DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FIBERGLASS INSULATION FIREPLACE Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold FLOORING CHOICES OVER CONCRETE SLABS FLOORING TYPES & DEFECTS FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION Heat Tapes: Use on Roofs for Ice HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION Ice Dams: Comparing Two Houses INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION LOCATION in BUILDINGS - WHERE TO INSULATE INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENTS INSULATION LOCATION for BRICK VENEER WALLS INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES INSULATION LOCATION for CATHEDRAL CEILINGS INSULATION LOCATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM INSULATION LOCATION for PASSIVE SOLAR FLOOR SLAB INSULATION LOCATION for SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS INSULATION LOCATION for SWIMMING, INDOOR INSULATION R-Values & Properties INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE Air Bypass Leaks, Thermal Tracking Blocked Soffit Intake Vents BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS FIBERGLASS DUCT, RIGID CONSTRUCTION FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES Inspect Attics for Moisture or Mold Inspect Basements for Moisture or Mold Inspect Building Exterior Inspect the Ridge Vent System from the Attic Inspect the Soffit Vent System from the Attic Insulation Air & Heat Leaks INSULATION R-Values & Properties LOG HOME WALL INSULATION VALUES POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION SUPER HI-R INSULATION RADIANT BARRIERS RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing Vermiculite Insulation LOG HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOG HOME GUIDE MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD INFORMATION CENTER ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL RADIANT BARRIERS RADIANT HEAT RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid RADIANT SLAB FLOORING CHOICES RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES ROT, TIMBER FRAME SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SEARS KIT HOUSES SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS STAIN DIAGNOSIS STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS SUMP PUMPS GUIDE THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING at BAND JOISTS VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING VENTILATION in BUILDINGS Air Bypass Leaks, Thermal Tracking ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE BATHROOM VENTILATION Blocked Soffit Intake Vents BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CRAWL SPACE VENTING & Dryout Procedures HEAT LOSS: How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION Inspect Attics for Moisture or Mold Inspect Basements for Moisture or Mold Inspect Building Exterior for Moisture Problems Inspect the Ridge Vent System from the Attic Inspect the Soffit Vent System from the Attic Insulation Air & Heat Leaks MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOISTURE CALCULATIONS MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS Roof Venting: Intake - Outlet Area Ratios Roof Venting: Proper Locations Roof Venting: Both Ridge & Eaves Venting Needed Roof Venting: Eaves Intake if no Overhang Roof Venting: Soffit Intake Vent-Continuous Roof Venting: Un-Vented Roof Solutions ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS ROOF VENTING NEEDED? Soffit Ventilation VENTILATION DESIGN PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS WHOLE HOUSE VENTILATION Strategies WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS WIND TURBINES WINDOWS & DOORS SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR SITE BUILT DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces Stoves More Information  InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge Contact Us |
This article describes ice dams, attic condensation, attic mold, and inspection methods and clues to detect roof venting deficiencies, insulation defects, and attic condensation problems in buildings. It describes proper roof ventilation placement, amounts, and other details. These recommendations are based on many years of building inspections, on the observation of the locations of moisture, mold, ice dams, condensation stains, and other clues in buildings, and on the correlation of these clues with the roof venting conditions at those properties, and frequent literature review and professional discussion. We have also measured changes in airflow, temperature, and moisture before and after installing roof venting. © Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Attic Condensation and Roof Leaks as a Source of Building Mold - Diagnosis and Cure
High attic moisture levels or actual wet attic conditions invite extensive mold growth. [Also see DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE.] Visible frost may appear on attic roof surfaces if the building is located in a freezing climate and high levels of moisture are trapped in a poorly vented attic or roof cavity (photo, left). Visible mold may appear on wood surfaces in an attic such as on rafters or roof sheathing. Hidden mold may be present and may be even more of a problem if it forms in insulation or in the ducts and air handler of an air conditioning or heating/air conditioning system. Typical building air convection currents tend to move air up and out from lower to upper building levels, so one would not think that much mold would move down from an attic into the living area. But important exceptions to this can quickly move problem mold from an attic into a living area. Conditions moving air and potentially moldy air downwards from an attic or roof space include
Building Exteriors Leaks and Mold No mold cleanup project will be successful unless you correct the conditions that caused mold growth in the first place. An expert inspection and report should find and suggest remedies for site and building exterior conditions that produce mold or for building areas that serve as a mold reservoir or as amplifiers for allergens, mold, mildew, excessive pollen or pet dander. The basic steps: find all unwanted moisture sources, correct appropriate building, site, landscaping, & construction details. 90% of the wet basements and crawl spaces I see are caused by bad or missing roof gutters and downspouts. An IAQ investigator who has training and experience in building science, mycology (mold science), and IAQ, or in some cases an experienced ASHI-Certified home inspector or sick building investigator who is who has a similar in-depth understanding of construction failures can be helpful at this step. Share this Article
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. MOISTURE, MOLD, ICE DAM LEAKS in ATTICS & ROOFS
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and RepairsMore Reading about Dealing with Attic Mold, Identifying, Removing, and Preventing Mold in AtticsBe sure to review HOW TO FIND MOLD: How to Inspect Homes and Other Buildings for Mold - the Basics of How to Find Problem Mold Indoors in our Mold Action Guide. Here are other articles that will be helpful in evaluating attic mold presence, causes, and cures:
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01/28/2010 - 06/22/1990 - InspectAPedia.com/interiors/atticcondhtm - © 2010 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark
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