Mold Month: Garages

Here’s an example of how mold can establish itself in a way you may not have thought of before.

At this property, there is a two-car garage with a master bedroom above. When I arrived, I noticed that mold was established on the garage ceiling. Oddly there was very little mold on the garage walls. How could that be so?

One possible cause is having an air-conditioned space above a garage with little to no insulation between the garage and the living space. In this case, the cold floor of the bedroom above creates a cold ceiling in the garage below.? When the warm, humid air of summer enters the garage, it condenses on this cooler ceiling, and provides a wonderful environment for the mold to establish and grow.?

?This scenario was confirmed by the owner, who said there was a lack of insulation between the air-conditioned bedroom floor and garage ceiling. The owner also said the mold was not noticed prior to this year’s humid summer, and that the air conditioner had not been installed before this year.

It is difficult to manage humidity levels in a typical garage. Creating a thermal barrier by way of proper insulation between the garage and living space above should help with the prevention or mitigation of mold like this.?

Unsure if you’ve got adequate insulation? Schedule an energy audit with the MassSave Program, or a consultation with a qualified insulation contractor. And if you believe you may have a mold issue in your home, Wagner Inspection offers certified mold testing to help you understand the source and scope of the problem.?

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