Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.

Here's a surprising detail about our older New England homes with those beautifully-painted attics in a crisp white: that white paint may not be white paint at all.  So whether you already own your home and never really had it investigated or are looking to buy, make sure your inspector does a deep dive.

Mold Beautiful, Colony of Characteristics of Fungus (Mold) in culture medium plate from laboratory microbiology.
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According to Apartment Therapy, mold remediation work sometimes just means using an encapsulating sealant that happens to be white.  And depending on why it's there, that's the first thing you need to investigate, since there are different levels of mold infestation.

Apartment Therapy says mold is like a weed, and simply covering the mold issue with a sealant doesn't mean the problem is fixed. Instead, it's just a band-aid, which means the mold could easily pop up again.

If a colony grows on a porous or semi-porous surface (like wood), these roots will grow as far into the surface as possible.  Like a weed, to eliminate mold from a home, you’ve got to get rid of the entire organism, roots and all.

Now, this white sealant does tackle the problem in theory, because it stops the growth for a while and is a great way to help out with mold issues if the mold itself wasn't completely removed. However, you need to stay on top of it, especially if you're using your attic as a living space and not just for storage.

White bedroom interior in attic
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Apartment Theory says a successful remediation literally gets the mold roots completely removed, followed by decontamination, which includes toxins and dead mold.

Leaks are possible along with moisture issues, especially living in our humid New England climate. So, Apartment Therapy says it's crucial to use mold experts who can find the main sources in the first place and eradicate all of the contaminants, including toxins and bacteria.

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