[noodle9400]

So earlier this year I went into the attic and realized I had mold growing in the attic and alot of it. I had a few estimates and all were extremely high. I ended up going with this company out of Ohio, Safe Mold Solutions. Guy came by did remediation and supposedly fixed my ventilation problem. On my house I have eves in the front and none in the back. So he installed vents throughout the eves and pulled insulation back and for the back he installed roof vents and closed up my gables vents.

This is what the back looked like before vents. Notice where the snow melted. Thats where the mold started before. We figured it was heat transfer from that semi flat roof to the regular roof.

This is what the back looks like with the vents.

This is the during the recent snow storm after hurricane sandy. Same area melted. Interesting enough the boiler was NOT running (not working atm). And is the same place the mold is growing again.

I have also have a gas fireplace that I have been using since the boiler doesn't work. The area where the transferring of heat was happening, I closed up probably a week and a half of using the fireplace.

In addition to all other information provided I felt that it was too humid in the attic so I re-opened the larger gable vent on the right side closest to the mold and reinstalled the fan that was there and put a DuoStat thermo/humidistat in there. 2 days the fan hasn't stopped.

Any suggestions on ALL of the above. Mold, ventilation. Anything. I dont know what to do anymore.

 

[shazapple]

There is obviously a lot of heat loss or air from the inside getting into your attic in that area. How much insulation do you have? Are there any bathroom vents that dump into the attic instead of to the outside? Do you have ventilation in the attic shape of the add on?

Those vents are not made to be used as a intake. Also, I dislike using fans to cool attics. They cost money to purchase and run, and tend to pull air from the inside of the house, which could be contributing to your problem. It looks like you have a ridge vent?

 

[joecaption]

I've never once seen anyone install vents like that at the bottom of the roof.
That's not going to vent anything.

You needed a ridge vent and soffit vents.

No over hang, then these could have been installed.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...532D55EB98E506017D0A54152D1F874DB05B1&first=1

 

[noodle9400]

There is obviously a lot of heat loss or air from the inside getting into your attic in that area. How much insulation do you have? Are there any bathroom vents that dump into the attic instead of to the outside? Do you have ventilation in the attic shape of the add on?

Those vents are not made to be used as a intake. Also, I dislike using fans to cool attics. They cost money to purchase and run, and tend to pull air from the inside of the house, which could be contributing to your problem. It looks like you have a ridge vent?

I have r30 unfaced in that area on top of old faced insulation. Was told to do so by "GAF Expert SeaShore Construction" who re-did the roof July 2010.
Bathroom vents are all venting outside. 2 through the roof, 1 out the side which is just a toilet room (existing hole).
Do you have ventilation in the attic shape of the add on? - I assume you are referring to the 2 back parts of the house. If so, than no they are room with a ceiling to outside

"Those vents are not made to be used as a intake." --- Seriously? UGH! I hate my house. I feel I am getting screwed every which way possible.
Well the fan I just reinstalled on Wednesday night. Mold was there prior to that. But it was definitely humid up there. But that fan definitely pulled air from those bottom vents. Made the attic at least 10 degrees colder. And yes I do have a ridge vent. Very crappy, poorly done. There some areas where its cut and some its not.

 

[noodle9400]

I've never once seen anyone install vents like that at the bottom of the roof.
That's not going to vent anything.

You needed a ridge vent and soffit vents.

No over hang, then these could have been installed.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...532D55EB98E506017D0A54152D1F874DB05B1&first=1

Can't say I have either but I only went along with what they did since I didn't know better. As a ridge, I do have one but as stated above it might as well not be there, thats how bad it is. I have a vent every 3-4 ft in the front soffit which I am thinking of cutting 6 inches off the eave and installing perforated ventilation. But I have no issues in the front. Its only in the back before and after those vents.

As far as no overhang. I literally mean not enough overhang to install a 3" vent. I thought of maybe GAF FaciaFlow vents but I couldn't afford the $1000 it would have cost to purchase not including install. Take down gutters facia board etc. And even if I did I would need to figure out how to vent that area where there is mold. Up there it just blends into the rubber roof which runs to that drip edge by the metal heat exchange onto the lower shingled roof which also leaks but it is literally a separate room. The room that leaks was like an exterior screen room turned into a room.

 

[joecaption]

If they installed that silly coiled ridge vent instead of the 3' long plastic ones and did not cut the sheathing back 1-1/2 on each side then it's just not going to vent.
All my shingle supplyers and even my local HD and Lowes have stoped selling the coils because of all the complaints.

Those baffles can be installed inside the attic, no need to remove the fashia.
The vents I posted a web site for are also avalible in 2"

 

[noodle9400]

If they installed that silly coiled ridge vent instead of the 3' long plastic ones and did not cut the sheathing back 1-1/2 on each side then it's just not going to vent.
All my shingle supplyers and even my local HD and Lowes have stoped selling the coils because of all the complaints.

Those baffles can be installed inside the attic, no need to remove the fashia.
The vents I posted a web site for are also avalible in 2"

Its like a mesh or something they installed. Im guessing i would have to the plastic ones and rip up my current ridge, get a proper cut, and install the new ridge.

The baffles I see are all round. Where would I install those to get air from outside?

 

[joecaption]

Since they already installed those lower vent I guess your stuck with them for now.
Those round vents would be installed into a bored hole in the fachia.
Another way to have done it is with these.
http://www.dciproducts.com/html/smartvent.htm

Got a picture up in the attic aimed at the lower part of the roof?

The ridge vents that look this work great.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...F79D3FA21212E85B626BB9DAEC944&qpvt=ridge+vent

 

[noodle9400]

Since they already installed those lower vent I guess your stuck with them for now.
Those round vents would be installed into a bored hole in the fachia.
Another way to have done it is with these.
http://www.dciproducts.com/html/smartvent.htm

Got a picture up in the attic aimed at the lower part of the roof?

The ridge vents that look this work great.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...F79D3FA21212E85B626BB9DAEC944&qpvt=ridge+vent

How can I bore a hole into the facia when theres gutters installed? there is literally less than an inch of facia to use due to the gutters. I thought about those vents, i forget what veered me away from them. I mean I could fix those ugly vents and reinstall small boards and new shingles but winter is not the time to do that. And I dont have the money to fund much. But the ridge I may do in spring.

I have a picture of the area where the mold is but it doesn't show much of the tighter areas of edge. Its all I have for now.

 

[Windows on Wash]

I've never once seen anyone install vents like that at the bottom of the roof.
That's not going to vent anything.

You needed a ridge vent and soffit vents.

No over hang, then these could have been installed.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...532D55EB98E506017D0A54152D1F874DB05B1&first=1

While I agree that this type of venting is not ideal, we have done it in certain applications where additions were added to homes and there was no way to vent without some sort of edge vent (not preferred by customer and slightly infeasible).

You would be surprised how much air they were drawing in when the system was somewhat balanced out.

 

[Windows on Wash]

How can I bore a hole into the facia when theres gutters installed? there is literally less than an inch of facia to use due to the gutters. I thought about those vents, i forget what veered me away from them. I mean I could fix those ugly vents and reinstall small boards and new shingles but winter is not the time to do that. And I dont have the money to fund much. But the ridge I may do in spring.

I have a picture of the area where the mold is but it doesn't show much of the tighter areas of edge. Its all I have for now.

Stop the warm air and heat loss first and as a standard.

You can put some spacer blocks in and space the fascia board out to vent from behind the gutter.

 

[Gary in WA]

Does that mold area line-up with the stud bay right next to the concrete block flue chimney? Is the top plate or framing open to the attic right there? Wiring hole not sealed...

Gary

 

[noodle9400]

Does that mold area line-up with the stud bay right next to the concrete block flue chimney? Is the top plate or framing open to the attic right there? Wiring hole not sealed...

Gary

I believe it does. But that chimney is not in use. It's sealed off. Used be to used with my old boiler system. When new system got installed, they installed that plastic piping on the side of that room. The framing was open to that boiler room which that room is open to the crawlspace. I actually just sealed it off recently. But I haven't used the boiler at all this season. Only thing that generates a little heat is the lint tube for the dryer. But that couldn't generate enough heat to cause that mold could it?

 

[Gary in WA]

If a leak in the dryer ducting, it could easily- from the moisture escaping, not the heat alone. Where does the ducting run?

Where does the dryer ducting terminate at the exterior hood? Wall, or roof?

Gary

 

[noodle9400]

If a leak in the dryer ducting, it could easily- from the moisture escaping, not the heat alone. Where does the ducting run?

Where does the dryer ducting terminate at the exterior hood? Wall, or roof?

Gary

I'll have to check the dryer tube. I know how it was set up from the previous owners it uses two lint pipes. The tubing terminates on exterior wall. Runs from the middle of the room with the middle of the section with the rubber roof through the room with boiler to the exterior wall.

 

[Gary in WA]

Yep, it doesn't take much to confuse me anymore.... pictures would help. Is there any air pathway from the ducting (along it's length) to the sheathing in the attic where the mold is?

Gary

 

[noodle9400]

Yep, it doesn't take much to confuse me anymore.... pictures would help. Is there any air pathway from the ducting (along it's length) to the sheathing in the attic where the mold is?

Gary

I agree pictures are always good. I'm working right now so the pictures I have below are all I have for today. I can take more tomorrow. One picture is an exterior side view of the boiler room. The other picture is inside of the boiler room. Where I took the picture is where the tubing for the dryer crosses. It's no where's near the sheathing in that room, maybe 5-6 ft away from it. And it's not even close to the sheathing in the attic that has mold. But what I pictured is where the heat transfer from the boiler room to the attic, the area in the attic where the mold is growing.

Side note: the boiler room doesn't have mold on the roof sheathing of that particular room.

 

[Gary in WA]

Is the warm, moist air from the boiler wetting the sheathing? Are they in-line? You need to air-seal the drywall on the walls/ceiling (and insulate) to stop the diffusion or possible air channel leak which is causing the condensation on the first-condensing-surface it reaches: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-049-confusion-about-diffusion

ADA the drywall: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/information-sheets/air-barriers-airtight-drywall-approach/

Stop the air leaks between spaces: Figs. 1-4: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/reports/rr-0412-insulations-sheathings-and-vapor-retarders

Gary

 

[noodle9400]

Is the warm, moist air from the boiler wetting the sheathing? Are they in-line? You need to air-seal the drywall on the walls/ceiling (and insulate) to stop the diffusion or possible air channel leak which is causing the condensation on the first-condensing-surface it reaches: http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-049-confusion-about-diffusion

Gary

In the boiler room, not that I am aware of. I haven't seem any condensation drips or anything from that room. Only in the attic near that room where I recently closed off access. I have insulation in that area of the attic. I'd say 90% of the attic has unfaced insulation laying on top of very very old faced insulation. I did that because the owner of SeaShore Construction company told me to do so.

I noticed today that those 4 joists that I closed up, are not the only ones that could transfer air. However, the 4 I closed up in that section is the area where mold is growing. I hate this house.

Curious question: Do they make a paper based vapor retardant? Like the paper that's on faced insulation? I asked because I have that unfaced insulation up there but maybe the faced insulation underneath should've just been replaced altogether.

 

[Gary in WA]

There is asphalt coated paper faced batt. The moisture is coming from somewhere directly below the area. Check for a bath fan duct with a hole, dryer duct hole, gas appliance exhaust ducting hole = excessive moisture. It has to somewhere, don't give up! Use a rake to remove some insulation over the exterior wall under the moldy area. Wiring hole through the top plate running down to the crawlspace/basement with moisture rising on the "stack effect"; http://www.wag-aic.org/1999/WAG_99_baker.pdf

Here, I'll help you look: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021105092.pdf lol.

If that back entrance is heated (how, what type), it could be melting the roof snow, but not the moisture issue.

Gary