White Mold Growth in Attics
While much of the attention often goes to ‘black mold’, white mold growth is very common in attics.  When the growth is thick and fuzzy, it can look more intense than black mold growth.  However, when the growth pattern is light, black mold is far more visible.  The color itself cannot be used to determine the genus or species of mold.
Certain types of molds only come in a single color, such as stachybotrys. Â But many other types of mold can exhibit several different colors. Regardless, the type of mold is not important for attic mold remediation. Â If mold is growing in the attic, the moisture source must be addressed.
If an attic is constructed with both skip sheathing and plywood or OSB, the mold growth often only attacks one of the materials. The plywood here is slightly cooler than the skip sheathing, which will make condensation more likely.
White mold found on the plywood, but little growth on the framing.
But sometimes it grows everywhere. Â The distinction is usually not how much condensation has occurred, but rather the properties of the specific lumber. Â On the whole, OSB is more conducive to white mold growth, but there are certainly exceptions.
Heavy white mold growing on skip sheathing and OSB in an attic
White and green mold growth on OSB.
Light white mold growing on top of black/grey mold in an attic.
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