# Off-white stuff on artic rafters



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Is it soft enough to rub off with a finger? If it is then it's fungus.


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## adgjqetuo (Oct 21, 2011)

I will check - if it's a fungus is that something to be concerned about?


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

That looks like mold (fungus). Mold grows in a relatively warm, moist environment when it has something to eat (the wood in this case). Mold can cause allergic reactions in some people, and some types of mold are toxic. Not to mention the mold can damage your lumber.

You may want to start by seeing if you have adequate ventilation in your attic, or if there is some source of moisture getting up there (example a bathroom fan vented to the attic).


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## adgjqetuo (Oct 21, 2011)

In that area there is no bathroom exhaust. We had our roof replaced last year and they widened the ridge vent and put in snow country cobra vent in - roofer advised to make it wider because the existing wasn't adequate. We have soffet vents along the gutters.

I have an attic fan near there but we don't use it because of the ridge vent.

This picture was before the roof was done. I was up there last night though and it reminded me to ask.


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## adgjqetuo (Oct 21, 2011)

I tried scraping it off - if you scrape real hard some light powder comes off but majority stays on. The wood is still solid too. It appears to only be that one arch and maybe part of the beam. 

I guess I will have to document my pictures and just make sure it doesn't get worse - maybe the wider ridge is all I needed to correct the problem.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Yummy.

Air seal and insulate. 

There is obviously some very definite moisture in that region.


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## OldNBroken (Jun 11, 2008)

Or he could have very good ventilation and those are dust bunnies. Looks like dust to me, not anything living.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Could it be dried cement? 

Some people re-use the forms used for concrete work and then use the wood for rough framing??


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## adgjqetuo (Oct 21, 2011)

Definitely not dust - it's pretty caked on - rub it and it doesn't come off - scrape with something sharp and it powders off a little. I had to use a pole with a sharp edge to reach since it's around 10' high at the peak.

Here is a better picture I took today. 

Doesn't look worse then before the new roof - so maybe the new roof will stop it from getting worse?


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Yup...sure looks like dried concrete.

See my post #9


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## OldNBroken (Jun 11, 2008)

hammerlane said:


> Could it be dried cement?
> 
> Some people re-use the forms used for concrete work and then use the wood for rough framing??


Could be except those are pre-fab trusses. 

Lick it and see what it tastes like:yes::yes: Or better yet, Take a sample in to get tested.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Doesn't look like mold in that last picture.

Could be compound or other construction debris. If it doesn't scratch off pretty easily...it probably isn't mold and the rest of the attic looks clean.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Whatever material, it happened when that truss was stacked on top of a truss pile (ground at yard/deliver/truck and "got hit"- appears the next few trusses received less. Not a growth as the plywood sheeting is unaffected as is the ridge vent. Maybe when truck drove under overpass- world's largest pigeon....

Gary


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## adgjqetuo (Oct 21, 2011)

The ridge is new - but that's a good point that it's only on the truss and not the plywood. I don't remember it being in the old ridge vent ether thinking back.

Thanks for the piece of mind.


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