Mold out, cause fixed, attic re-insulated
Black stains on the roof plywood, a musty smell from above, or a home inspection flag? We remove the mold, fix what caused it and put new insulation back in.
Attic mold
Most people find attic mold and blame the roof. Often the roof is fine. The water comes from inside the house: warm, damp air rising into the attic and turning to water on the cold underside of the roof deck.
Bathroom fans that blow into the attic instead of outside are a big one. The model building code most U.S. cities use says bathroom exhaust has to go outdoors, yet plenty of older houses still vent into the attic. Add a Memphis summer, an AC air handler sweating up there and a few blocked soffit vents, and the plywood stays damp for months.
Under the house, the same damp air calls for crawl space mold removal. Up top, it is work our Memphis mold and water team has done since 1989.
Stain patterns
Mold in an attic is rarely random. The spot it picks usually points straight at the moisture source, and at who should fix it.
You see · Black spots around a bathroom fan or a loose duct end
Means · The fan is blowing damp shower air into the attic
We run the fan duct outside
You see · Dark plywood on one side of the roof, drips or frost in winter
Means · Warm house air is condensing on a cold roof deck
We open blocked soffits and improve ventilation
You see · Even darkening across the whole roof deck
Means · The attic is not venting enough overall
We add or fix soffit and ridge ventilation
You see · Stains around the chimney, a vent pipe or a roof valley
Means · Rain is getting in through the roof
A roofer fixes the leak, then we clean up
You see · Mold around the AC air handler or along the ducts
Means · The drain pan is overflowing or the ducts are sweating
An HVAC tech fixes the unit, then we clean up
You see · One patch of damp, matted insulation
Means · Water is dripping from above or a pipe nearby
Find the drip, then we replace the insulation
Dark boxes are fixes our crew handles. Light boxes need another trade first.
Wood and insulation
Most attic mold sits on the surface of the wood. That means the wood can usually stay. The insulation is a different story.
Usually cleaned
The plywood or OSB under the shingles. Mold is cleaned off with HEPA vacuums, scrubbing, sanding or blasting, then a mold inhibitor goes on. Black staining can stay after cleaning, even when the mold is gone.
Soft, delaminating or rotted boards are replaced by your roofer.
Usually cleaned
The wood frame holding the roof up. Cleaned the same way, with extra care at the joints and along the bottom edges where insulation touched them.
We check for soft wood and tell you if a carpenter should look.
Usually replaced
Batts and blown-in insulation that got wet or moldy hold spores and cannot be cleaned. We take them out, and once the wood is clean and the moisture is fixed, we put new insulation in.
Dry, clean insulation away from the problem area can stay.
Start to finish
It starts with a mold inspection and ends with an attic that is clean, dry and vented the right way.
Phase 1 · Find it
1.Inspect
Meters and a thermal camera map the mold and the damp wood.
2.Contain
The attic hatch is sealed off and HEPA air scrubbers start.
Phase 2 · Remove it
3.Strip
Moldy and wet insulation comes out.
4.Clean
Sheathing and rafters are cleaned and treated with a mold inhibitor.
Phase 3 · Keep it from coming back
5.Fix the cause
Bath fans vented outside and ventilation opened up.
6.Re-insulate
New insulation goes in, then readings and photos for your report.
Re-roofing soon?
New shingles do not kill mold on the wood under them. If the cause was condensation or a bath fan, the mold keeps growing under a brand-new roof.
Planned together, the two jobs are faster and you only open the attic once.
Us, first
Clean and treat the mold on the underside of the deck and rafters, and pull out moldy insulation.
Your roofer
Replace any rotted decking while the roof is open, then put the new roof on.
Us, last
Fix the ventilation, vent the bath fans outside and put in new insulation.
Cost
National estimates, not our prices. Your free quote gives the real number.
Typical attic job
This Old House (2026), Bob Vila (2024)
$1,000 to $4,000
Not in that range
Roof leaks, new shingles and rotted decking are priced by your roofer. An AC drain pan or sweating ducts are priced by your HVAC tech.
What moves the price
Why choose us
Few people go up into their own attic. So every promise we make about the work comes with proof you can see from the kitchen table.
Our promise
How you can check it
The mold is off the wood
How you can check it: Before and after photos of the same boards
The wood is dry
How you can check it: Moisture readings written into your report
The bath fans vent outside
How you can check it: A photo of each duct running to its outside vent
The attic can breathe
How you can check it: Photos of the open soffit vents and baffles
New insulation where the old was moldy
How you can check it: Photos of the attic floor after it goes in
Nothing outside our trade is left unsaid
How you can check it: The report names any work for a roofer or HVAC tech
Service area
Our crews cover 29 ZIP codes across Memphis, from Downtown to Hickory Hill and the Bartlett side. Not sure if you are in our area? Give us a call and we will tell you right away.
FAQ
Have a question that is not listed here? Call us and talk to a real person on our Memphis team.
No. New shingles do not remove mold from the wood underneath, and if the cause was condensation or a bath fan, it keeps growing. Do the mold work before or during the re-roof.
You can, but a buyer's inspector will likely find it. Having it removed, with the cause fixed and a report with photos, usually makes the sale go smoother than negotiating over it.
Mold can leave a dark stain in the wood grain even after the growth itself is gone. The stain is cosmetic. What matters is that the mold is removed and the wood stays dry.
Air moves between the attic and the house through light fixtures, the attic hatch and gaps around pipes. Attic mold also keeps damaging the roof deck while nobody is looking.
Many attics take a few days from start to finish, including new insulation. A large attic, a tight crawl-in attic or a lot of insulation to remove adds time.
Usually, yes. The attic hatch is sealed off and HEPA air scrubbers run while we work, so the rooms below stay clean.
Related services
Call ServiceMaster by Riverside to have your attic checked. We will show you where the mold is, what is causing it and what it takes to fix both.
Call now: (901) 459-6610