Blackened Wood In Attic

If you have either ice dams or moisture buildup improve your attic ventilation.

Blackened wood in attic.

The following picture is of a long standing moisture condition in an attic where much of the roof sheathing has turned black. The attic is truss framed with plywood sheathing. When moisture condenses on plywood roof sheathing repeatedly or continuously the wood will turn black. 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.

However there are many different types of mold so if the mold in your attic looks different that does not mean you don t have a problem or don t need to worry about it or take action. On attic mold visible on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing near the building eaves. Click photo for larger image. A sign of roof leaks from ice damming or other causes.

Mold usually causes a musty odor and may cause staining that may be black brown gray white yellow or green. After several years of this there may be. The mold itself may have a cottony texture but can also be velvety leathery or. It usually appears greenish black and streaky.

Even if conditions are conducive to mold growth elevated moisture plywood made from a fungal resistant wood will resist mold growth for quite a while. This can be caused by the action of fungal growth and molds and the affect they have on the tannins in the wood. Water stained or blackened wood. 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.

Some woods are much more resistant to rot and fungal attacks. This latter phenomenon occurs when the house is too humid and the warm moist air seeps into the attic where it condenses and freezes on cold attic areas. The roof has baffles at alternating thusses soffit and ridge vents. A sign that condensation is forming on metal surfaces.

In most cases testing for attic mold is unnecessary. If you re not sure what you re looking for here s a picture of mold in an attic. And just because you can t see that mold doesn t mean it s not dangerous. The white blown in insulation was used.

A sign of mildew or rot.