Mold in the attic...
Discussion
Appreciate there's little that whining on a forum will resolve but having Googled and tried a couple of local roofers and been given conflicting advice, just hoped to put this out there and see if anybody can relate / advise....
The house is a 100 year old + cottage that was in essence, four walls thus has been rebuilt completely a few years back. It was single storey but now has a second floor with dormer windows, thus the attic space is just the very top 5ft of the roof space... thus the exterior walls don't meet the roof line at attic floor level, if that makes sense.
When rebuilt, the roof was renewed completely and is your typical beams with horizontal boards then weatherproofing and slate tiles. It did have a thin layer of insulation on the floor and that was it. When we moved back in about 18 months ago, we laid more insulation on top of the original so probably around 30cm plus it's been partially boarded. Insulation and flooring does not extent right out to the roof.
A few months back, I noticed a couple of moldy patches and there was very light mold build up on a couple of fabric items in the loft space. We double checked that the insulation wasn't too tightly packed and bar that, could see any evidence of leaks etc. The roof has not external vents as far as I can gather and nor does it have vents in the eaves, given the attic space only occupies the top portion of the roof area as it were, the bedrooms take up the lower portion.
Lately, said mold has got much worse with several roof boards looking very furry which is obviously rather concerning. A couple of roofers have been out with one suggestion we need vents in the roof itself - though he didn't mention vents in the gable end or lower down to get air circulating and a second seemed to think it was because the house was so well insulated, the attic would forever be cold and thus. moldy. There's no mold growth on any pipes, the cold water tank, the flooring or the floor beams... just a few random rood boards and a few items that have been stored up there. Just to further muddy the waters, the ajoining property is exactly the same design upstairs (both were done together) and shares the same construction and usage and is showing no signs of mold at all. It's just got the original thin layer of insulation and isn't floored.
I appreciate mold is due to excess moisture but there's no obvious leaks, though I did not that the nails through the roof, protruding in to the attic had droplets of water on them. The attic space is cold but never freezes and there's no obvious air flow / drafts etc when you're up there. So, I'm now wondering if the extra insulation and flooring has possibly created or compounded the issues and whether a lack of vents is to blame, though it doesn't really explain why it's only happened over the past few months when the house has been here for about 7 years now and never had any issues. Which makes me wonder if the boards are getting damp from the outside.
Not expecting a miracle cure but just hoping somebody may be able to offer some thoughts?
The house is a 100 year old + cottage that was in essence, four walls thus has been rebuilt completely a few years back. It was single storey but now has a second floor with dormer windows, thus the attic space is just the very top 5ft of the roof space... thus the exterior walls don't meet the roof line at attic floor level, if that makes sense.
When rebuilt, the roof was renewed completely and is your typical beams with horizontal boards then weatherproofing and slate tiles. It did have a thin layer of insulation on the floor and that was it. When we moved back in about 18 months ago, we laid more insulation on top of the original so probably around 30cm plus it's been partially boarded. Insulation and flooring does not extent right out to the roof.
A few months back, I noticed a couple of moldy patches and there was very light mold build up on a couple of fabric items in the loft space. We double checked that the insulation wasn't too tightly packed and bar that, could see any evidence of leaks etc. The roof has not external vents as far as I can gather and nor does it have vents in the eaves, given the attic space only occupies the top portion of the roof area as it were, the bedrooms take up the lower portion.
Lately, said mold has got much worse with several roof boards looking very furry which is obviously rather concerning. A couple of roofers have been out with one suggestion we need vents in the roof itself - though he didn't mention vents in the gable end or lower down to get air circulating and a second seemed to think it was because the house was so well insulated, the attic would forever be cold and thus. moldy. There's no mold growth on any pipes, the cold water tank, the flooring or the floor beams... just a few random rood boards and a few items that have been stored up there. Just to further muddy the waters, the ajoining property is exactly the same design upstairs (both were done together) and shares the same construction and usage and is showing no signs of mold at all. It's just got the original thin layer of insulation and isn't floored.
I appreciate mold is due to excess moisture but there's no obvious leaks, though I did not that the nails through the roof, protruding in to the attic had droplets of water on them. The attic space is cold but never freezes and there's no obvious air flow / drafts etc when you're up there. So, I'm now wondering if the extra insulation and flooring has possibly created or compounded the issues and whether a lack of vents is to blame, though it doesn't really explain why it's only happened over the past few months when the house has been here for about 7 years now and never had any issues. Which makes me wonder if the boards are getting damp from the outside.
Not expecting a miracle cure but just hoping somebody may be able to offer some thoughts?
Mould is usually lack of air movement, so the roofers are probably right.
You could install something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vents-Prevents-Condensati...
Remember - warm air carries more moisture and when hits a cold surface - such as your roof nails, it condenses. So, it could also be warm moist air is entering your loft via the hatch, either way ventilation/air movement is your friend.
You could install something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vents-Prevents-Condensati...
Remember - warm air carries more moisture and when hits a cold surface - such as your roof nails, it condenses. So, it could also be warm moist air is entering your loft via the hatch, either way ventilation/air movement is your friend.
Just to update and some more general musing...
Our roofer was back today to replace a couple of errant tiles and sort a few minor niggles and to have a look in the attic of our house and the adjoining property. The good news is that the roof is in good order and he's confident the mold issue we're suffering isn't due to a leak from the outside, so that's one bonus I guess.
He did note that next door's attic (exact same design, build, age and usage... yet no mold) was dry but he did note the nails through the roof boards all had water droplets forming on the end, but didn't think this was anything to be concerned about. Then he had a look in our attic and went "Jesus!" which isn't the reaction I hoped for. He confirmed it's not that clever looking and most the roof boards are damp and with white mold growth pretty abundant throughout.
To recap, this only started in small, localised parts about 6 months ago (I know, I know...) and prior to that we'd added about 30cm of insulation on top of the existing insulation and boarded 75% of the floor space. However, again... the eaves of our house are at first floor roof height, thus the upper level is built in to the eaves thus only the very top few feet of roof space is attic, thus whilst the insulation hasn't been pushed tight out into the eaves, it's the only change that's happened and the only difference to next door.
So, once he'd left to ponder the options I had a look myself and no, the insulation be it the original nor the latterly added layer is out to meet the roof boards (if that makes sense) so therefore I assume that we're still getting some ventilation around the edges but more so due to any small gaps in the roof / between the tiles rather than having bespoke vents in place, which we don't.
Moving forwards, I need to remove any flooring that has mold growth (mostly the outer boards) and also I noted there's a few areas of insulation that are wet, I assume from moisture dripping off the roof boards / roof timbers and so I'll need to remove that as well in an attempt to reduce the moisture content. Though I'm in two minds as to whether I should lift the secondary layer of insulation a) to ensure it's dry and b) as part of me can't decide if it's a contributory factor or not.
From there, I need to address the roof boards and at the very least towel off some of the droplets of condensation that are forming and then think about how to remove the white mold. I did try on a bit of flooring I removed earlier and it simply brushes off, but I know it'll be airbourne and that's not ideal but what are my (DIY) options to at least get it as cleaned up as I can?
Then, I need to think about how I'm going to dry out the roof boards. Given it's currently a bit damp here and hovering around zero degrees, I assume introducing heat will just compound the issue as when it cools again, I'll get moisture forming on the rapidly cooling surfaces? I did debate putting a couple of dehumidifiers up there and let the run for a couple of days... I already tried a small unit we have for the kitchen this afternoon and it pulled about a litre out in a few hours. Finally, the other option is to just return it to as was (lift the flooring and secondary layer of glass fibre) and let it be for a few weeks and see if it improves... though I appreciate, I'll have to get rid of the mold first.
Leaving the hatch open was suggested but I'd rather not as it's above our bed and we have a toddler too so trying to contain the chaos is priority. As for the vents, yes they were discussed and are an option however the roofer was in agreement that given the adjoining property is fine, he thinks we should address what changes were made before this became such an issue before we spend hundreds fitting vents which may / may not resolve the issues.
So again, just putting it all out there as any advice is appreciated / would be good to hear from others who have had / have similar issues.
Cheers
Our roofer was back today to replace a couple of errant tiles and sort a few minor niggles and to have a look in the attic of our house and the adjoining property. The good news is that the roof is in good order and he's confident the mold issue we're suffering isn't due to a leak from the outside, so that's one bonus I guess.
He did note that next door's attic (exact same design, build, age and usage... yet no mold) was dry but he did note the nails through the roof boards all had water droplets forming on the end, but didn't think this was anything to be concerned about. Then he had a look in our attic and went "Jesus!" which isn't the reaction I hoped for. He confirmed it's not that clever looking and most the roof boards are damp and with white mold growth pretty abundant throughout.
To recap, this only started in small, localised parts about 6 months ago (I know, I know...) and prior to that we'd added about 30cm of insulation on top of the existing insulation and boarded 75% of the floor space. However, again... the eaves of our house are at first floor roof height, thus the upper level is built in to the eaves thus only the very top few feet of roof space is attic, thus whilst the insulation hasn't been pushed tight out into the eaves, it's the only change that's happened and the only difference to next door.
So, once he'd left to ponder the options I had a look myself and no, the insulation be it the original nor the latterly added layer is out to meet the roof boards (if that makes sense) so therefore I assume that we're still getting some ventilation around the edges but more so due to any small gaps in the roof / between the tiles rather than having bespoke vents in place, which we don't.
Moving forwards, I need to remove any flooring that has mold growth (mostly the outer boards) and also I noted there's a few areas of insulation that are wet, I assume from moisture dripping off the roof boards / roof timbers and so I'll need to remove that as well in an attempt to reduce the moisture content. Though I'm in two minds as to whether I should lift the secondary layer of insulation a) to ensure it's dry and b) as part of me can't decide if it's a contributory factor or not.
From there, I need to address the roof boards and at the very least towel off some of the droplets of condensation that are forming and then think about how to remove the white mold. I did try on a bit of flooring I removed earlier and it simply brushes off, but I know it'll be airbourne and that's not ideal but what are my (DIY) options to at least get it as cleaned up as I can?
Then, I need to think about how I'm going to dry out the roof boards. Given it's currently a bit damp here and hovering around zero degrees, I assume introducing heat will just compound the issue as when it cools again, I'll get moisture forming on the rapidly cooling surfaces? I did debate putting a couple of dehumidifiers up there and let the run for a couple of days... I already tried a small unit we have for the kitchen this afternoon and it pulled about a litre out in a few hours. Finally, the other option is to just return it to as was (lift the flooring and secondary layer of glass fibre) and let it be for a few weeks and see if it improves... though I appreciate, I'll have to get rid of the mold first.
Leaving the hatch open was suggested but I'd rather not as it's above our bed and we have a toddler too so trying to contain the chaos is priority. As for the vents, yes they were discussed and are an option however the roofer was in agreement that given the adjoining property is fine, he thinks we should address what changes were made before this became such an issue before we spend hundreds fitting vents which may / may not resolve the issues.
So again, just putting it all out there as any advice is appreciated / would be good to hear from others who have had / have similar issues.
Cheers
xx99xx said:
I have mold in my loft. Started this winter. I put it down to opening the hatch regularly (to retrieve/deposit stuff) and letting hot moist air from the house up there?
Interesting that you mention that as before we moved in last year, we'd rented the house out to tenants who only every really used a job burner in the living room. Since moving back, I've got the heating working back as it should plus there's us and my little boys so the house it constantly warm (underfloor heating / air source pump runs 24/7) so I did wonder if perhaps the house was warmer, thus warmer air meeting a Scottish winter based cold roof. But, we did add secondary layers of insulation soon after we moved in so the attic is cold, but on the main steels for the roof (run long each side of the loft floor) there's visible condensation forming. One other thing we did have for a few weeks was a humidifier in his bedroom at night but surely that wouldn't be enough warm air to effect the entire loft space? I'm in a bit of a quandary as part of me thinks I should remove the insulation we added but then again, isolating the loft from as much rising warm air also seems prudent though assuming there is air movement up there... which seems lacking but if it's lacking now then it's been lacking for about 8 years since the house was renovated and yet the mold is a recent (6 months) issue.
One thing worth perhaps saying is that given we have an air source pump, the house is very well insulated and pretty air tight... for example if we get a morning frost on the roof, unless it's hit by direct sunlight then it's there to stay until the air temp increases so whilst not an exact science, we're not losing heat through the roof which again makes me wonder if it is simply warm air finding it's way up there but I'd be surprised if it was given the insulation in the walls and ceilings.
Anyways, first task is to remove as much damp / wet material as possible and assess from there.
Thanks
Had the same problem after adding double glazing and insulation to an old house. The previously cold and draughty loft had no mould...the newly insulated roof above the warmer newly double glazed house had loads of mould.
My issue was compounded by leaking of steam extraction from bathrooms.
Just remove the extra insulation and make sure bathroom steam is extracted properly and if you are drying clothes in the house you do it in a room with a slightly open window.
My issue was compounded by leaking of steam extraction from bathrooms.
Just remove the extra insulation and make sure bathroom steam is extracted properly and if you are drying clothes in the house you do it in a room with a slightly open window.
I think I'm struggling to get my head round possible sources...
I'd have though the extra insulation would help keep the increase in heat we introduced in the house itself, thus stopping the attic space warming thus stopping the hot / cold meeting thus reduce condensation.
Hence, I can't decide of removing it is a good idea though I am away to remove any wet insulation though that said, the condensation will keep dripping down so it'll be like shovelling snow whilst it's snowing until I can stop or reduce the condensation / moisture content.
House wise, our bathroom is downstairs so shouldn't be a factor and we dry clothes downstairs and usually have a dehumidifier in use though most mornings, we have condensation on the upstairs dormer windows. Again, probably due to a lack of ventilation and hot air vs cold surfaces but that's manageable.
The attic is a different proposition all together given the extent of the problem and not really knowing where to start. Given it wasn't an issue until we moved in / the house became warmer / we added more insulation is what makes me think that's a good place to start... more so as next door is the same design, build and use yet is fine.
A problem I could do without just now but such is life... but appreciate the input gents
I'd have though the extra insulation would help keep the increase in heat we introduced in the house itself, thus stopping the attic space warming thus stopping the hot / cold meeting thus reduce condensation.
Hence, I can't decide of removing it is a good idea though I am away to remove any wet insulation though that said, the condensation will keep dripping down so it'll be like shovelling snow whilst it's snowing until I can stop or reduce the condensation / moisture content.
House wise, our bathroom is downstairs so shouldn't be a factor and we dry clothes downstairs and usually have a dehumidifier in use though most mornings, we have condensation on the upstairs dormer windows. Again, probably due to a lack of ventilation and hot air vs cold surfaces but that's manageable.
The attic is a different proposition all together given the extent of the problem and not really knowing where to start. Given it wasn't an issue until we moved in / the house became warmer / we added more insulation is what makes me think that's a good place to start... more so as next door is the same design, build and use yet is fine.
A problem I could do without just now but such is life... but appreciate the input gents
Thanks gents.
I'm up there as we speak and have discovered that we have the bedroom ceilings followed by about 1.5" thick, silver coated foam insulation sheets covering the entire ceiling area then the original layer of glass fibre about 15cm deep then the secondary layer that went on taking it to about 50cm in total.
In some areas it was up tight into the eaves but only a couple of bits and there was insulation pushed down the 6" gap between the last roofing joist and the stone wall that separates the two houses. Under the cold water tank, which sits elevated by about 30cm was also tightly packed. I've since removed all of the secondary layer, leaving the foam boards snd a single layer which is pretty much as it was since it was built.
The flooring that was added, I don't think that is a factor as it's really just a few sheets to store crap on however I've moved it inwards thus ensuring there's plenty space round the perimeter.
I absolutely get what has been said about the heat still rising them hitting thd cold roof, thus condensing and I think if today's work doesn't make any difference then I'm going to have to look at vents in the roof and possibly, the gable end stonework. The thing I'm struggling with is why it was fine for years... I can only surmise it's because the house is warmer since we moved in, possibly compounded by the extra insulation.
What a waste of money given I'm now on my 17th bin back full of insulation material and I'm not even sure I'm doing the right thing...
A picture tells one thousand words so here we go... the insulation laid out between the beams is the original. The layers removed were up to the top of the floor beans. The red steel that runs lengthways is as far as the insulation goes, but it wasn't extending fully out to the roof however but I can but try.
Mold is visible on the roof boards and looks pretty grim but wipes / brushes off. The timber is treated from build but are they any sprays available that can be applied to kill what's left, assuming the moisture issue problem is resolved first?
I think I'm struggling to understand that the attic needs to be colder and have airflow, I get that as warm, moist, stagnant air is bad but I assumed good insulation is beneficial as it'd stop heat rising into the attic, thus condensing when it hits the cold roof boards... hence we added more, but in doing so possibly compounded the issue?
He says, clutching at straws...
I'm up there as we speak and have discovered that we have the bedroom ceilings followed by about 1.5" thick, silver coated foam insulation sheets covering the entire ceiling area then the original layer of glass fibre about 15cm deep then the secondary layer that went on taking it to about 50cm in total.
In some areas it was up tight into the eaves but only a couple of bits and there was insulation pushed down the 6" gap between the last roofing joist and the stone wall that separates the two houses. Under the cold water tank, which sits elevated by about 30cm was also tightly packed. I've since removed all of the secondary layer, leaving the foam boards snd a single layer which is pretty much as it was since it was built.
The flooring that was added, I don't think that is a factor as it's really just a few sheets to store crap on however I've moved it inwards thus ensuring there's plenty space round the perimeter.
I absolutely get what has been said about the heat still rising them hitting thd cold roof, thus condensing and I think if today's work doesn't make any difference then I'm going to have to look at vents in the roof and possibly, the gable end stonework. The thing I'm struggling with is why it was fine for years... I can only surmise it's because the house is warmer since we moved in, possibly compounded by the extra insulation.
What a waste of money given I'm now on my 17th bin back full of insulation material and I'm not even sure I'm doing the right thing...
A picture tells one thousand words so here we go... the insulation laid out between the beams is the original. The layers removed were up to the top of the floor beans. The red steel that runs lengthways is as far as the insulation goes, but it wasn't extending fully out to the roof however but I can but try.
Mold is visible on the roof boards and looks pretty grim but wipes / brushes off. The timber is treated from build but are they any sprays available that can be applied to kill what's left, assuming the moisture issue problem is resolved first?
I think I'm struggling to understand that the attic needs to be colder and have airflow, I get that as warm, moist, stagnant air is bad but I assumed good insulation is beneficial as it'd stop heat rising into the attic, thus condensing when it hits the cold roof boards... hence we added more, but in doing so possibly compounded the issue?
He says, clutching at straws...
Edited by Davie on Sunday 19th January 11:29
Could you run a dehumidifier with the outlet hose going into the outside guttering?
The modern lofts I've seen have plastic sheeting under the roofing material and plyboard floors over the insulation, I had a garage with a similar issue and ran some metal wire down from the roof joists to some buckets where it was originally dripping onto the floor and once a month used to empty the buckets.
The modern lofts I've seen have plastic sheeting under the roofing material and plyboard floors over the insulation, I had a garage with a similar issue and ran some metal wire down from the roof joists to some buckets where it was originally dripping onto the floor and once a month used to empty the buckets.
5hrs later and I'm done and to be honest, I'm not convinced there isn't a leak.
The south facing roofing boards appear dry, with a couple of them showing some pretty dry looking white mold growth though it's on the entire length of said board, but not the one above or below which I find odd... possibly untreated / less treated wood from build?
The other side of the roof however, it's north facing thus doesn't get the sun and nor does it get the prevailing wind much either and it's very bad with a lot of damp boards and thick, white growth on a lot of boards and also a lot of water droplets forming on said boards. It seems to be very damp just to be caused by condensation build up but then again, I doubt a leak would extent over such a big area... a few localised patches yes, but the entire roof seems doubtful and the roofer seemed confident it wasn't leaking.
I've wiped / hoovered / scraped off all the white mold, probably broke many health and safety rules including using Henry the hoover but it's done and all the secondary layer of insulation I added last year has since been removed and I've made sure there's at least 30cm gap between the original glass fibre and the roof / eaves.
Regarding a longer term solution... it's a bit tricky because as mentioned, the second floor accommodates a lot of roof space, ie the bedrooms have sloped ceilings and dormer windows thus the house (an ancient cottage) doesn't have vents in the eaves as said eaves at at ground floor ceiling height. I asked about putting a vent in the gable end, it's west facing thus gets most the wind but going through 8" of stone could be a challenge. The roofer suggests roof vents, about 8 I think but suggested we give it a few weeks to gauge how todays work pays off first,
The dehumidifier idea is actually one I'd thought about, that or an electric fan just to circulate the air up there but I doubt the latter would be effective on its own. I have a small, stand alone dehumidifier up there just now and planned on leaving it up there for a few days, emptying it regularly and see if it helps any but that could be a solution or may at least help so I'll look in to that.
What's confused me more having been up there for 5hrs is that above where I had my big 500w work lights, which give off a lot of heat too... the areas above them that were very damp to start with, are definitely showing signs of drying out. I get that air needs to circulate but just now, it's hovering around zero degrees and very damp outside so I'm not really sure how the loft is going to dry naturally? Granted, once the weather improves and the ambient temperature is higher, then yes but just now... I just don't see it drying out any.
On which basis, I'm also wondering if it'd be worthwhile trying to introduce heat just to try and get as much moisture out the boards as possible. I know that once the roof space is warm, any subsequent cooling with create condensation but surely not to the extent that has built up over the past few months? Plus, if I was to run the dehumidifiers up there too then surely that'd give the best chance to dry out the boards because as it stands, I'm honestly at a loss as to how they'll dry... or at least quick enough to avoid regrowth?
Again, appreciate the input... I am listening and taking note, but equally just struggling to get my head round a) the cause and b) a solution!
Cheers
The south facing roofing boards appear dry, with a couple of them showing some pretty dry looking white mold growth though it's on the entire length of said board, but not the one above or below which I find odd... possibly untreated / less treated wood from build?
The other side of the roof however, it's north facing thus doesn't get the sun and nor does it get the prevailing wind much either and it's very bad with a lot of damp boards and thick, white growth on a lot of boards and also a lot of water droplets forming on said boards. It seems to be very damp just to be caused by condensation build up but then again, I doubt a leak would extent over such a big area... a few localised patches yes, but the entire roof seems doubtful and the roofer seemed confident it wasn't leaking.
I've wiped / hoovered / scraped off all the white mold, probably broke many health and safety rules including using Henry the hoover but it's done and all the secondary layer of insulation I added last year has since been removed and I've made sure there's at least 30cm gap between the original glass fibre and the roof / eaves.
Regarding a longer term solution... it's a bit tricky because as mentioned, the second floor accommodates a lot of roof space, ie the bedrooms have sloped ceilings and dormer windows thus the house (an ancient cottage) doesn't have vents in the eaves as said eaves at at ground floor ceiling height. I asked about putting a vent in the gable end, it's west facing thus gets most the wind but going through 8" of stone could be a challenge. The roofer suggests roof vents, about 8 I think but suggested we give it a few weeks to gauge how todays work pays off first,
The dehumidifier idea is actually one I'd thought about, that or an electric fan just to circulate the air up there but I doubt the latter would be effective on its own. I have a small, stand alone dehumidifier up there just now and planned on leaving it up there for a few days, emptying it regularly and see if it helps any but that could be a solution or may at least help so I'll look in to that.
What's confused me more having been up there for 5hrs is that above where I had my big 500w work lights, which give off a lot of heat too... the areas above them that were very damp to start with, are definitely showing signs of drying out. I get that air needs to circulate but just now, it's hovering around zero degrees and very damp outside so I'm not really sure how the loft is going to dry naturally? Granted, once the weather improves and the ambient temperature is higher, then yes but just now... I just don't see it drying out any.
On which basis, I'm also wondering if it'd be worthwhile trying to introduce heat just to try and get as much moisture out the boards as possible. I know that once the roof space is warm, any subsequent cooling with create condensation but surely not to the extent that has built up over the past few months? Plus, if I was to run the dehumidifiers up there too then surely that'd give the best chance to dry out the boards because as it stands, I'm honestly at a loss as to how they'll dry... or at least quick enough to avoid regrowth?
Again, appreciate the input... I am listening and taking note, but equally just struggling to get my head round a) the cause and b) a solution!
Cheers
Quick game of show and tell...
This is the south facing roof and didn't have any water droplets forming on the boards and only three were showing mold growth - one board near the eaves and two about halfway up.
North facing roof and whilst the mold has been removed (or at least, hoovered off) the boards are very wet though it's uniform, no areas where is bad or appears to be running down the roof as such. The cold water tank is insulated, elevated and I've since pulled a lot of insulation that was packed under it back out. Tank is dry, no leaks and likewise the stone walls at either end were dry though the westerly one (in the image) was showing slight mold growth too.
The odd, triangular 'thing' is above the stairs, they run up the gable end, south to north and on the south side of that triangle affair is a Velux window but this is totally sealed off from the attic. Just behind that, north side if you like i directly above the upstairs cupboard that has the hot water tank, pressure accumulator and all the pipework for the central heating and that did make me wonder if that was a factor... again, prior to us moving back, I very much doubt the central heating was used for about 3 years. But again, it's well insulated above it and sealed off.
But I digress and I'm away to fall asleep on the sofa...
This is the south facing roof and didn't have any water droplets forming on the boards and only three were showing mold growth - one board near the eaves and two about halfway up.
North facing roof and whilst the mold has been removed (or at least, hoovered off) the boards are very wet though it's uniform, no areas where is bad or appears to be running down the roof as such. The cold water tank is insulated, elevated and I've since pulled a lot of insulation that was packed under it back out. Tank is dry, no leaks and likewise the stone walls at either end were dry though the westerly one (in the image) was showing slight mold growth too.
The odd, triangular 'thing' is above the stairs, they run up the gable end, south to north and on the south side of that triangle affair is a Velux window but this is totally sealed off from the attic. Just behind that, north side if you like i directly above the upstairs cupboard that has the hot water tank, pressure accumulator and all the pipework for the central heating and that did make me wonder if that was a factor... again, prior to us moving back, I very much doubt the central heating was used for about 3 years. But again, it's well insulated above it and sealed off.
But I digress and I'm away to fall asleep on the sofa...
Edited by Davie on Sunday 19th January 15:05
That was my thinking too... do surely more insulation is better? On which note, I've salvaged a lot of the second layer that was laid but some was wet, thus binned but I could relay it if need be.
There just seems to be a lot of moisture for it to be condensation build up, but then again when you think how much can gather on a cold window overnight then it's possible.
I still feel that adding temporally heat to dry the boards out is needed, they'll never dry out in the current climate so surely until they're dry, it's going to be a problem?
I debated putting a couple of oil filled rads up there along with a dehumidifier for a few days but done say that'll make it worse. I get that once it cools, it'll get condensation but surely not as bad as it got thus more manageable moving forwards?
Then add vents in the better weather, but for now I need to dry it out and I just can't see it happening naturally thus it'll continue to be damp...
There just seems to be a lot of moisture for it to be condensation build up, but then again when you think how much can gather on a cold window overnight then it's possible.
I still feel that adding temporally heat to dry the boards out is needed, they'll never dry out in the current climate so surely until they're dry, it's going to be a problem?
I debated putting a couple of oil filled rads up there along with a dehumidifier for a few days but done say that'll make it worse. I get that once it cools, it'll get condensation but surely not as bad as it got thus more manageable moving forwards?
Then add vents in the better weather, but for now I need to dry it out and I just can't see it happening naturally thus it'll continue to be damp...
Vents will likely fix this problem immediately.
I tried the dehumidifier myself, and it works temporarily so might be worth doing to clear things up but it's not a long-term solution. If you want to reduce the mould and dampness until you get vents in the only way would be to make sure your house is being vented by leaving windows ajar etc. Not ideal in Winter obviously
I'm pretty sure that without getting vents, whether you add more insulation or not, the result will be more mould and mildew which will eventually work its way into plaster walls and celilings beneath the roof, and potentially cause electrical/lighting issues as well as making the roof timbers wet.
I tried the dehumidifier myself, and it works temporarily so might be worth doing to clear things up but it's not a long-term solution. If you want to reduce the mould and dampness until you get vents in the only way would be to make sure your house is being vented by leaving windows ajar etc. Not ideal in Winter obviously
I'm pretty sure that without getting vents, whether you add more insulation or not, the result will be more mould and mildew which will eventually work its way into plaster walls and celilings beneath the roof, and potentially cause electrical/lighting issues as well as making the roof timbers wet.
Thanks.
It's looking like vents are inevitable though there's still a bit uncertainty on my part plus the roofer and our resident house builder... and that's why it's been fine since the renovation a few years back.
As mentioned earlier, there's a few possibilities... be it the house is warmer as we use the central heating throughout, not just a log burner as our tenants did or is it related to the extra insulation that was put down or an external leak though we've hopefully ruled that out with a roof inspection.
The fact the adjoining house is identical in build etc yet the only 'issue' it has is a drop of moisture on the end of the roofing nails that protrude through the roof boards, but there's no damp or mold so again comparing the two, the only difference is we have (or had) more insulation added but then I'd have thought that'd help keep the attic colder, thus reduce was air meeting cold roof. Similarly, the house next door isn't vented either.
My issue is to fix a problem, I first need to understand it and I'm not sure I do... at least not enough though I get the theory, it's just being sure it's X, Y or Z that's the issue so I can explore the best route to rectification. But yes, I think trying to dry it out is a priority... I know adding heat in the attic is what we're trying to avoid, but even if I fitted vents, I just cannot see how it'll dry out given the weather. Nothing dries out up here at this time of year.
But as always, all input is appreciated and dies help me get my head round the cause and a solution.
It's looking like vents are inevitable though there's still a bit uncertainty on my part plus the roofer and our resident house builder... and that's why it's been fine since the renovation a few years back.
As mentioned earlier, there's a few possibilities... be it the house is warmer as we use the central heating throughout, not just a log burner as our tenants did or is it related to the extra insulation that was put down or an external leak though we've hopefully ruled that out with a roof inspection.
The fact the adjoining house is identical in build etc yet the only 'issue' it has is a drop of moisture on the end of the roofing nails that protrude through the roof boards, but there's no damp or mold so again comparing the two, the only difference is we have (or had) more insulation added but then I'd have thought that'd help keep the attic colder, thus reduce was air meeting cold roof. Similarly, the house next door isn't vented either.
My issue is to fix a problem, I first need to understand it and I'm not sure I do... at least not enough though I get the theory, it's just being sure it's X, Y or Z that's the issue so I can explore the best route to rectification. But yes, I think trying to dry it out is a priority... I know adding heat in the attic is what we're trying to avoid, but even if I fitted vents, I just cannot see how it'll dry out given the weather. Nothing dries out up here at this time of year.
But as always, all input is appreciated and dies help me get my head round the cause and a solution.
Dragging this back, more so to add some closure.
Post attic space inspection, I had roof vents fitted (four in total... it's a very small space) and a few months on, thankfully the issue appears to be resolved. Granted, it took a few weeks with a de-humidifer and a couple of big fans to dry out the boards as the weather in the earlier part of the year was conductive to drying out an attic, however since then it's been very much improved. I've another layer of insulation to put back down in due course but hopefully that's it resolved.
As always, appreciate the advice / input.
Post attic space inspection, I had roof vents fitted (four in total... it's a very small space) and a few months on, thankfully the issue appears to be resolved. Granted, it took a few weeks with a de-humidifer and a couple of big fans to dry out the boards as the weather in the earlier part of the year was conductive to drying out an attic, however since then it's been very much improved. I've another layer of insulation to put back down in due course but hopefully that's it resolved.
As always, appreciate the advice / input.
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