What is the white stuff in my attic?

If you have loose-fill insulation that is white and fluffy and has a little shine, it is probably fiberglass fill. Because it is a glass product, fiberglass has a slight shine when subjected to bright light. It is very soft, almost like cotton candy, and is composed of very fine fibers.

Why are the rafters painted white?

What is this? Homeowners will often paint the wood framing members; rafters, trusses and roof sheeting to make the attic area look better and to encase or seal the wood so that the burnt smoky odor is eliminated or sealed.

Is mold in attic common?

Mold in attics is very common and can usually be dealt with quickly and effectively. No need to panic and treat your home as if it’s uninhabitable and beyond repair. Attic mold is caused by moisture and mildew issues.

Do rafters need insulation?

Whether you need to insulate your roof rafters will depend on what you intend to do in the space directly beneath the rafters. For example, if the space beneath the rafters is going to be used for a living area, then you will need to insulate the roof rafters.

What does mold on rafters look like?

Mold will very often appear white when it is first developing and later change color after producing spores. While other mold will remain white throughout it’s lifecycle due to the type of material that it is feeding on.

What is white blown in insulation?

Nothern White Fibre Glass Blowing Insulation Northern White Fibre Glass Blowing Insulation is used in residential and commercial construction as a thermal and acoustical insulation. It is designed for pneumatic installation in open attic or ceiling plenum areas with flat flooring or up to a maximum slope of 4.5:12.

How do you know if your attic is on fire?

There are some pretty common signs that a fire has moved in to the attic/knee-wall area, most notably smoke and fire pushing from the dormers and gable ends. Interior environments where you are experiencing high levels of heat, but cant locate the fire can be indicative of fire concealed in the walls as well.

Why is my attic painted silver?

There are two likely reasons for attic roof sheathing that is painted silver. If the paint is a dull silver color, there was a fire in the attic or in the house below and the paint is used to seal the smoke particles to the wood.

What is white mold?

White mold is a powdery fungus made up of different fungal species that can appear white, green, or grey, depending on the type of surface it has infected. Like most molds, white mold thrives in areas with high moisture like showers, crawl spaces, basements, and leaky walls.

Should I insulate the roof rafters in my attic?

Insulating between rafters will do no good, because the attic should be ventilated, and the rafter insulation would be between two unheated spaces. You can add insulation to the floor; the more the merrier. Just don’t put it in the eaves. Also, make sure the attic is well ventilated.

What is this white powdery substance on my roof rafters?

The Client will certainly expect an explanation for this white material on the roof rafters in the attic. It is difficult to declare this one substance over another simply based on one’s senses of sight or smell. After all, some mold shows up as a white powdery material, but more often in a crawl space than an attic.

Is attic condensation a sign of a leaking roof?

However, attic condensation is evidence of wet or very humid attic conditions. Therefore I’d take a close look at the roof sheathing and framing in an attic that has been moist or humid even though there were no roof leaks. (Click photo for larger image).

What is this mold in my attic?

The mold shown in the attic photographed above was identified as Aspergillus sp. on attic mold visible on pine tongue and groove roof sheathing near the building eaves. 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. (Click photo for larger image).

Is condensation in the attic normal?

However, attic condensation is evidence of wet or very humid attic conditions. Therefore I’d take a close look at the roof sheathing and framing in an attic that has been moist or humid even though there were no roof leaks.