That Scary Place Where “Monsters” Live

• Posted on May 2, 2023
• by mikew
• in Fix It & Use It
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What to Know Before Hiring an Attic and Crawlspace Service

Part 1: Shuttered closets and underside bed caverns are dark places that can be scary for children. Peering into those spaces is to face the worst fear imagined. From a distance shadows cast frightening possibilities. The safest space seems to be pulled tight under the covers and head buried under the bed – waiting til morning! We do not grow up from these type of fears and they find new contexts in our homes. Namely, attic and crawl space areas trigger all sorts of childhood anxieties so home inspectors show up like parents to assure home owners (buyers) that there are no monsters living above or below. Often we offer pictures to dispel fears and carefully explain what is there – and not there. No other topic provides more relief and comfort to clients than my attic and crawlspace reporting.

Time goes by, the inspector’s soothing words are eventually forgotten, and then something reminds you of that unvisited area. [cue soundtrack] Who ya’ gonna call?

Part 2: Imagine the Ghostbuster four-some growing in their business of ridding the city of ghosts and slimy spirits. They have provided a legitimate service of pulverizing large stay-puff marshmallow monsters ravaging downtown. As business has grown the original team hires eager new technicians to blast the smaller terrors lingering in neighborhoods and houses. They have been given valuable training on recognizing supernatural auras, outfitted with expensive software to document and provide topnotch infestation presentations, and a ready-to-sign contract detailing the charges: $4,000 for rat spirits, $17,000 mold monsters and $30,000 for encapsulating ghosts! The newly-minted Ghostbuster technician is the epitome of professional, thorough and specially able to see and treat mysteries of the attic and crawlspace. One’s worst fears will be obliterated! Who wouldn’t trust them implicitly to free one’s home from the hauntings?

RE PIC: The attic moisture issue characterized as “growing rapidly” and “all throughout the attic” was noticeably absent from the skip sheeting and rafters.

Part 3: I’ve been a Structural Pest Inspection identifying wood-destroying organisms and conducive conditions for almost twenty years. Having worked with thousands of homes and clients I’ve learned some things that may help you before you speedily spend money! These companies offer important services but I have concern about some of the tactics, ethics and accuracy of some. In recent months I have had three clients reach out with staggering repair and treatment bids. One client was dealing with some minor water intrusion following our December snow and rain. Reading through the book-length packet and bid, this crawlspace clean-out company was ready to encapsulate the 1,000sf crawlspace for a whopping $30,300! My clients asked for a second opinion and were grateful they did.

After reviewing the bids and hearing the alarming sales pitches I am compelled to explain my wariness.

Here’s what you should know in the form of common questions and my answers as you sort through attic and crawlspace clean out companies.

Do I have “black mold”?

Black mold is a popular term but misleading classification. First, fungi color is altered by its food source so color identification is an issue. If a technician is offering you a color diagnosis (aka “black mold” or “white mold”) it reveals a lack of experience and education. Additionally, unless testing is completed specific identifying organic growth as mold, mildew, fungi, or bacteria is unreliable. I worked in a micro-biology lab in college preparing cultures to grow various bacteria. Identification is a long, involved, and often cost-prohibitive process. None of the local company bids I have seen offer sampling and testing in this way. Second, mold is a catch-all mis-applied term associated with too much to be used carelessly, especially from companies charging tens of thousands of dollars for their services. Discoloring of the sheathing may indicate heightened levels of moisture which will lead to identifiable organic growth. When discoloring is seen, it needs to be diagnosed with accurate and precise language without raising undo alarm. As a structural pest inspector I can go as far as calling it organic growth and most of what I’ve seen is not cause for health concerns. Nature is doing what nature does even if it is in the unwanted climate of your attic or crawlspace.

In diagnosing organic growth some factors come into play: Is it an older house? How long has that condition been present? Is it a recent occurrence or active? Is it adversely effecting the house structure or living spaces? Realistically, is it a major problem now? Would there be value in monitoring for six-months or a full year for worsening conditions? Careful consideration is needed because the attic and crawlspace are time capsules retaining a record of every moisture event in their life-span (and even before!).

When should I be concerned about health concerns of organic growth?

I would offer three suggestions: First, is there a pervasive moisture issue at your house? Ongoing and extensive moisture issues are usually connected to major plumbing leaks, roof leaks, ventilation issues, and water pooling against foundation walls. Musty odors indicate moisture and more noticeable when you return after being away from the house for a week. Many of my clients had a sense something was amiss when I’ve found this type of issues. Second, are you struggling with health concerns that your doctor attributes to potential environmental factors? Third, give me a call and let’s talk about what you are noticing and concerned about. I can be a helpful sounding board!

Is it unusual to have molds and mildews around?

No. We grow this stuff all around. Moisture is a consistent requirement of organic growth and we have lots of water in the Pacific Northwest. An organic food source is another requirement. As I mentioned earlier, the food source impacts coloring.

Spores of fungi go dormant when they lack moisture. Even when cleaned with bleach-water invisible spores remain. If water is introduced the organic growth will get back to growing. This means that cleaning and sealing treatments help the symptom but do not solve the problem. The best course of action may be to do some clean-up or sealing, but only after the source has been fixed.

Are we breathing the air from the attic and crawlspace?

Attic and crawl space areas are (supposed to be) sealed from the house air supply. Furnaces, hot water tanks and general house ventilation draw air from outside. Even garages are to be sealed from permitting air into the home. Fresh breathable household air enters our house from doors and windows, vents often installed in windows and some newer intake systems. The biggest issue I’ve found with air leaking from the attic is through retro-fitted canned lighting and poor attic access covers. Sealing any breaches, gaps and seams will improve house air quality. A pest-free, properly vented, dry attic or crawl area will make air leakage less of an issue. The solution begins by resolving the source of the issue. This is a legitimate repair to consider hiring a contractor for, especially in homes built before 1990.

How do I prevent organic growth issues?

This is the most important part of this whole article. These are the actionable items for home owners which will make a difference and remedy virtually every attic and crawlspace moisture problem.

• Ventilation fans. Operate moisture ventilation fans for 30-minutes after using bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens. Most of the discoloring and organic growth issues I have found are in attic areas above these rooms. Unsure if the fan is drawing air? Use the Tissue Test!
• Ducting configuration. Ensure all ductwork features a direct route (minimal turns), positive slope (avoid dips), rigid piping (flex impedes air flow), and insulation (reduce condensation and heat loss).
• Adequate ventilation. Ensure there is an inlet and outlet for good air flow. Attics generally have venting high and low – warm air rises so air enters soffit vents and exits through roof or ridge vents. Gable vents may be present for horizontal air movement, and in some cases powered vents pull air mechanically. The attic and crawlspace are air-movement environments – that’s why we discourage storage. There are code requirements, 1 square foot of venting per 300 square feet of area, but some spaces need to exceed these standards and others do fine with less. Framing and design configuration and storage can impede air flow. Despite planning and fulfilling code requirements, time and inspecting will reveal the effectiveness of the ventilation.
• Pre-construction moisture. Nowadays wood materials are sitting in the lumberyard or on the job-site, or in a partially constructed house during the long wet seasons. I have found dozens of new houses with organic growth in the attics or crawlspaces. Regrettably, it has become recent and common Northwest practice to build houses year round instead of framing in the dry months. If you have a home built in the last 30 years, construction rain has likely left its mark. Document where organic growth or stains are present with pictures and some simple notes. Continue to monitor the areas annually and if it comes up with a future home inspection or treatment recommendation, review the documentation to determine if it’s an active or past problem.
• Roof leaks. Fix the leak! Moisture stains will remain on the sheathing so confirm the area is dry and check on it in a year to make sure things haven’t changed. Keep records of the repair or snap a dated picture to verify it is a past problem. They are quickly identifiable. Dark black discoloring will be visible where moisture enters through the plywood or OSB sheathing. I’ll offer this again: Black does not mean mold. It means wet. And it could mean organic growth.
• Confront the scary place. Monitor the attic and crawlspace for issues. Visiting these areas is recommended a couple times a year. Observe sights, sounds and smells that seem unusual. If preferred, hire a home inspector to perform an inspection or home assessment that includes a look at these areas.

What about rodents and Wood-Destroying Organisms like Termites and Carpenter Ants and…?

This is an important question for a future discussion. If you have concerns or questions, please reach out, watch out for the upcoming article or check out my published articles for more information.

Part 4: Here are the keys to recognizing the best attic and crawlspace service companies.

• Is their explanation clear, understandable, and giving you a sense of calm rather than fear?
• Are they insistent that that they provide every recommended service in order to warranty their work? Or are they ready to provide only the needed service guilt-free?
• Do they offer to be a continued resource to answer questions in the future?
• Do they pressure you to sign the contract or perform the service immediately? Or are they willing to wait for you to consider your decision?
• Finally, do you need to reach out to me and let me hear what they are saying and recommending?

Hopefully this will empower you as you engage attic and crawlspace companies and the services they provide. If you are interested in scheduling a limited inspection of an attic or crawlspace area to assess the present condition, give me a call and we can schedule a time! And if would like to know someone I know personally and would entrust to perform clean-out work on my own house, reach out to Chris Strovas with Clean Crawls ‭(425) 508-2475‬ who I have known and has been in the clean-out industry for 14 years!