If you notice a stain around your bathroom’s exhaust fan, your first thought might be that you have a leak that will require a roof repair. In most instances, however, this is not the case. Rather, it’s most likely caused by insufficient venting, which allows the excess heat and moisture from your bathroom to gather in the attic instead of being directed out through the roof.
The Consequences of Venting Problems
The staining is caused when the warm moist air from the bathroom hits cold ducts and attic materials, condenses, and then drips back down through the duct and out the fan onto the ceiling. The consequences of this are not pretty:
- Mold growth. The purpose of a bathroom exhaust fan is to remove moist air and odors from the bathroom. When this doesn’t happen, you are left with the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to thrive. You may spy it on your bathroom walls or ceiling, but sometimes there are no visible signs of mold on the interior of your home. The most likely location for it to occur is in your attic, where it often goes unnoticed and is left to wreak havoc on the health of your family.
- Saturated insulation. If your attic insulation gets saturated with moisture, you run the risk of your entire roofing system degrading over time. Wet insulation also has decreased R-Value, which is a measure of its thermal resistance. Decreased R-Value means your insulation is less efficient, which leads to higher energy bills.
- Wood rot. Excess moisture can cause rot and decay in your wood. Unfortunately, by the time wood rot is spotted, it’s likely that the wood may have lost up to 50% of its original strength.
If your attic insulation has been damaged by moisture, or you have unexplained ceiling stains, give Muth & Company Roofing a call at (614) 682-3060. We will get to the root of the problem and get your home back to normal in no time.