It’s a common nightmare for homeowners. One day everything is fine and the next day, they see black mold on their roof. Suddenly, everything that they perceive to know about it comes flooding their mind, overwhelming them in the process.
At the very least, they become concerned. This is for several good reasons. This leads to them asking – why does black mold grow on my roof?
This article will help you answer this question. It will also provide you with more information that can help you understand and tackle this problem.
By reading on, you’ll know the problems with mold growth on a roof. This will help you understand why this is a problem. If ever you feel that this is a problem that you can forget for now, this portion of this article will convince you otherwise.
You also have to understand why it grows. We set aside a section that discusses what causes it to grow. By knowing this piece of important information, you can understand the root cause of the problem. This can help prevent a repeat of the situation.
More and more homeowners are installing copper flashing to prevent moss growth. Is this really helpful? How does it help? What does it do? How do you do it? Read on to know more.
Of course, you also want to know how to remove black moss. It’s not recommended that you do it yourself because you’ll be exposing yourself to danger. But still, we’ll give you a good idea as to how the professionals do it.
Speaking of professionals, we’ll also discuss the reasons why roof work is best left to professionals. You’ll know of compelling reasons that will convince you to hire a professional.
We know why you’re apprehensive about hiring a professional. You think that it’s expensive to do so. It can be expensive if you don’t know how to find great deals to choose from. Well, you’re in luck, because we developed a free service that can help you get quotes from competing roofing contractors.
How to Check Mold Damage in Roof
Do you have mold in your roof? These are signs that you could be dealing with this issue:
- There’s a musty and rancid smell.
It’s really unpleasant. Think of wet earth with rotting leaves and then with the heat of the sun baking it. You’ll know it when you smell it.
Unfortunately, we can get used to the smell. If we disregarded the smell in the past, you could be at a point wherein you’re used to it and therefore are not bothered by it. You can ask a trusted friend to visit your home to smell around or just observe your guests if they’re reacting negatively to the smell.
- There’s water damage.
If you see water damage, do something about it ASAP. There’s a chance that they’re not mold YET, but soon they will be, because they’re the perfect breeding ground for it.
Water damage is a sign that there’s a water leak somewhere. There’s a good chance that it’s coming from the roof. You have to take care of the problem at once because the water damage will get bigger and will be a breeding ground for black mold.
You can also check more closely because what you think is water damage could be black mold already.
- You’re feeling it.
Have you been coughing or sneezing more and more lately? Are you experiencing inexplicable skin and eye irritation? How about unexplained headaches? There’s a good chance that you’re feeling the ill effects of it.
You can also have your roof tested although that can be expensive. It’s more logical to just contact a roofer so they can take care of the issue. Mold or water damage, they have no place in your roof and home.
Problems with Mold Growth on a Roof
You’ll first notice that it’s quite an eyesore. It’s not something that you can simply disregard. You’ll see it and you won’t be able to forget it. It will haunt you even in your sleep.
It looks so bad that it will bring down the value of your home. Forget about selling it for top dollar. Potential buyers will take one look at it and will be out of there in no time. It’s not like algae where in some cases can actually improve the appearance of your roof. When it comes to black mold, it’s just plain ugly.
It looks slimy, for starters. You don’t even have to touch it to know that it’s slimy. The dark blotches also stick out like a sore thumb.
In addition to making your roofing uglier, here are the problems that you’re faced with:
- It will lead to the deterioration of your roof.
It will lead to rotting. It will slowly eat away at your roof. Before you know it, it’s so deteriorated that you have no choice but to replace your roof. Imagine spending a lot of money on a roof replacement when you can spend a fraction of the cost to take care of the problem now. You’ll regret it if you don’t take care of the problem now.
It’s not just your roof. If you leave it alone, it will spread to the rest of your home. Your home will deteriorate quickly and the home’s foundation will be affected. Are you really going to allow that to happen?
- It smells bad.
Make that it smells really bad. Think of an earthy smell and not the good kind. It can be very rancid and musty. It smells so bad that a lot of homeowners smell it first before they see it.
- It will lead to higher electricity bills.
Yes, this is another effect. This is because the black stains will absorb the heat of the sun. This will make the temperature inside your home higher which will make your AC unit work double time. As such, you can expect to pay a higher electricity bill.
- It will affect your health.
Among the different types, black mold is the most dangerous. It’s so dangerous that it can be toxic. Everyone at home can fall victim to a serious illness to their respiratory system because of its presence. The most vulnerable ones are the kids and the elderly. Those suffering from a respiratory illness like asthma are also at risk.
Scientists refer to toxic black mold as stachybotrys chartarum. Even its scientific name sounds scary. If that’s not enough to scare you, here are some of the health issues associated with it:
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- Chronic cough
- Eye irritation
- Nose and throat diseases
- Rashes
- Headaches
- Chronic fatigue
- Bleeding inside the lungs
- Nosebleeds
- Vomiting
- Nausea
The bleeding inside the lungs part should convince you to take this issue seriously.
Do you really want to live with these problems? No? Then you have to take care of the issue. You have to do it right now. This is because experts estimate that the growth has been there for a couple of months already before it’s noticed.
Of course, it’s also important that you prevent the growth from happening in the first place so you have to know what causes it to grow.
What Causes it to Grow?
For it to grow, there has to be an environment for it to thrive in. For it to thrive, it needs the following to be present:
- Spores
- Darkness
- Oxygen
- Wood, drywall and other food sources
- Warm temperatures
- Time (as little as 24 hours)
In short, every home can be a breeding ground for black mold growth. This is because everything you see on this list can be found in homes. There is one other important ingredient – moisture.
This is why water damage is a key sign. This is why you have to fix roof leaks. These introduce moisture into your home, leading to the growth of mold.
Humidity can also be a problem.
How to Prevent Growth of Mold in Roof
Fortunately, you can prevent its growth. You can’t stop the things on the list above because they’re present in every home. You just have to control the moisture!
Here are things that you can do to prevent the growth of mold on roof:
- Check for problem areas.
Is your roof leaking? You may want to check. It can lead to water damage which of course will be a breeding ground. It also likes the cover of darkness so make sure to check underneath shingles.
If you see water pooling due to these problem areas, make sure to dry it immediately. Check the attic to see if there’s water damage in the attic itself and in its contents.
- Control the humidity in your home.
Experts recommend keeping the humidity at anywhere between 30 and 60 percent. Anything lower or higher than these numbers respectively can be a problem. This is why you have to monitor and you can do so using a moisture meter that you can purchase at most hardware stores.
You can also check the humidity by simply looking around. Do you see condensation? It could because of a humidity problem.
Make sure to double check the humidity in the areas directly affected by the problem areas listed above.
- Check the gutters.
Are they clogged? Make sure to clean them. Are they damaged, or perhaps pulling away from your house? Make sure to have them repaired. It’s recommended to check them regularly anyway so now’s a good time to check.
Clogged or damaged gutters can lead to a leaking roof. They can also lead to water pooling around your home which can then lead to flooding in the basement.
- Ensure proper and adequate ventilation.
Make sure that there’s adequate ventilation. This is especially true in areas with higher than normal moisture like the bathroom and kitchen. Make sure that appliances that add to the moisture are vented to the outside.
If needed, use an air conditioning unit and/or dehumidifier. This is especially true if you live in a humid area. You do have to check them regularly though because they can add to the humidity if they’re not regularly maintained.
Other simple strategies include opening windows and running an exhaust fan. This can also help improve the circulation of air in your home. Allow fresh air to enter and roam inside your home.
- Renovate using products that are designed to resist mold.
If you’re planning to remodel your home anyway, you can use products that are designed to withstand mold. For example, traditional drywall is susceptible to mold because it has paper. On the other hand, there’s drywall that can resist mold because it doesn’t have paper in it. There are also paints that can inhibit mold. Ask your contractor for options.
- Monitor your indoor plants.
While they can improve the appearance and ambience of your indoors, these indoor plants can be a breeding ground for mold. Mold can start in these plants and can spread around your home.
Bottom line is to make sure that there’s no additional moisture inside your home. Making sure that your roof doesn’t leak will go a long way.
Using Copper Flashing to Prevent Moss Growth
Expert roofers will recommend using copper flashing to prevent moss growth. You need to install flashing around your chimney and skylights to prevent leaking, so might as well use copper flashing.
Copper flashing contains copper sulfate. When water runs off of them, water brings traces of this compound along with them. This basically covers your roof with copper sulfate which helps prevent the growth of moss.
You can also install copper strips at the highest parts of your roof. This is to make sure that all areas will be covered when it rains. It’s also a good idea to apply copper strips midway across the roof especially if you have a tall roof.
The roofer will use strips that are about half a foot wide. The strips will be installed underneath the shingles while ensuring that at least a couple of inches are exposed. Make sure that you install the strips across the whole length of the roof.
Do the same every 4 feet or so. Use a copper nail to secure the strips in place underneath the shingles. If you choose to have a copper roof installed altogether, you won’t be experiencing such issues.
Why Roof Work is Best Left to Professionals
At this point, you’re probably wondering how to remove the black mold on your roof. There’s only one thing that you need to do – hire a professional roofer that specializes in black mold removal. As a professional roofer, they can also take care of the root cause of the problem.
Here are more specific reasons why roof work is best left to professionals:
- It’s dangerous to expose yourself to black mold.
You already know the dangers of exposing yourself to black mold. How dangerous will it be if you get in contact with it? You don’t have the necessary skillset, tools, equipment and know-how to handle and remove it safely.
- It’s dangerous to work on a roof.
It’s a high place. You can end up falling and being injured. Worse, it can be a fatal fall. All it takes is one wrong step.
- You can end up damaging your roof.
Again, all it takes is one wrong step. Remember that at this point, your roof is very vulnerable because of the damage done by the black mold. You don’t really know where to step and what every step will cause.
Simply put, you can end up making things worse.
- A roofer will do a better job.
They do this for a living. They have the tools and experience to do a better job than any DIYer. For a serious problem such as this, you should make sure that you’re doing things the right way.
Getting Quotes From Competing Contractors by Filling Out the Form on Our Site
We understand why a lot of homeowners want to do roofing work themselves. It’s because hiring a professional can be very expensive. Well, it is quite an investment, but it’s going to be an investment well spent once they take care of the problem and you’re spared of dangers.
Besides, you can find a great deal that will really surprise you. You just have to make them compete for your business and we have a free service on our site for that.
You just have to fill out the form that you see on this page. Complete the form with your accurate details and send it. The best licensed contractors in the area that specialize on black mold will receive your details and put together their best deal. This is because they know that they’re competing with other contractors so it’s in their best interest to send their best quote.
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