If your roof has been leaking and you didn't know about it, there could be water damage in your attic. Mold is also a big concern because it will grow quickly in damp conditions when the weather is warm. If your attic has mold in it, you should call a professional to clean it out. It's dangerous to clean up large amounts of mold yourself, even if it isn't black mold. Here's the general process you can expect:

Put On Protective Equipment

It's necessary to wear protective gear when working around mold. This includes a covering over your clothes as well as gloves and a face mask. The mask should be rated for filtering mold so there is no risk of inhaling the mold spores. If you have allergies or asthma, you should probably stay out of the attic while the crew is working, in case mold spores fill the air. Even if you wear a mask, the spores could land on your skin or hair and bother you later when you remove the protective gear.

Remove Moldy Insulation And Ruined Items

If you have fiberglass batt insulation on the floor or walls, it could be soaked and filled with mold. The insulation has to be bagged up and removed from the attic. If you store clutter in the attic in boxes, there's a chance paper and fabric items are ruined too. You may be able to restore valuable items, but they should be removed from your attic for sorting outdoors so the space is cleared for cleaning.

Install A Ventilation System

Your attic is probably stuffy with little air circulation. The crew will install a ventilation system that draws mold spores out of the attic rather than filling the air with them inside your house. Pulling the spores outdoors keeps the mold from circulating through your house and landing in a different humid place where they can grow. Preventing the spread of mold also keeps your family safe, so be sure to follow any instructions the crew many give you about turning your HVAC off if necessary to help prevent the spread of mold.

Disinfect The Attic Surfaces

After the attic is cleared and prepped, cleaning the mold can begin. This involves using chemicals designed to kill mold. It may be necessary to scrub the ceiling or walls to get rid of all the spores. This also removes the musty, mildew odor that accompanies mold. Once all the mold has been removed, the attic is dried out thoroughly before new insulation is installed.

Cleaning mold out of an attic is often hard work because of the heat in the tight space and the lack of room to move around. It is best left to a professional crew with experience in attic cleanups so the job is done right. You don't want the mold to grow back when the crew leaves. To ensure that doesn't happen, repair the roof leak before the attic restoration begins.

Contact a company like Servpro Of Washington County for more information and assistance.