Mains water pipe casing mould

Shaun-UK · 3 Aug 2015

HI, have a bit of an issue where a mains water pipe that runs up my living room wall is causing mould. Before I moved in a new kitchen was built so the old kitchen was converted to the front room. They did not cover the mains stopcock and they plastered/skimmed over the pipe which runs up the wall but the plaster here is very thin.

Can I have any suggestions on the best way of sorting this so it looks half decent and doesn't cause mould/damp issues? The line where the pipe runs up the wall is mainly covered by curtains so whatever goes there is mostly covered up. I still want it looking tidy though

Thank you for reading

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xr4x4 · 3 Aug 2015

Holly Jesus

Burnerman · 3 Aug 2015

+1 but I'll go for 'holy'

John

Dave54 · 3 Aug 2015

Water condensing on the pipe above somewhere and running down?
Or a leak?

flameport · 3 Aug 2015

Condensation on the cold wall is a likely culprit.

Resolved by 1. reducing the humidity in your house (use extractors in bathroom and kitchen, don't dry washing inside or hang towels on radiators, open windows, etc.)
and 2. cutting away the plaster from around the pipe, installing insulation around the pipe and replastering.

If you do 1 and not 2, the mould issue will appear somewhere else, probably behind a cupboard against an outside wall.

foxhole · 3 Aug 2015

Mould likes cold , damp and no air movement, covering a damp wall with curtains encourages growth.
The pipe should have been insulated or boxed in to prevent this problem.

Shaun-UK · 9 Aug 2015

flameport said:
Condensation on the cold wall is a likely culprit.

Resolved by 1. reducing the humidity in your house (use extractors in bathroom and kitchen, don't dry washing inside or hang towels on radiators, open windows, etc.)
and 2. cutting away the plaster from around the pipe, installing insulation around the pipe and replastering.

If you do 1 and not 2, the mould issue will appear somewhere else, probably behind a cupboard against an outside wall.

Thanks for the reply. Looking at your post explains things. Currently we don't have extractors in our bathroom or kitchen which I will look to get installed soon. We also hang our washing on radiators and don't open windows downstairs. I will be buying a tumble dryer this month and will make sure to open windows now.

As for insulating the pipe. How thick is the insulation? The pipe is only a couple of mm from the surface so any insulation I add will mean the wall will hump over the pump once re plastered. This isn't a big issue though as the curtain hides most of it.

Thanks again for your help!

drpepe · 9 Aug 2015

might be cheaper and easier just to move the pipe , rather than all that work plus redecorating?

flameport · 9 Aug 2015

Pipe insulation is about an inch thick, or half inch for the thinner probably-non-compliant varieties.

Extractors are essential items in modern homes. Just ensure that the kitchen one actually vents to the outside, the recirculating efforts will do nothing.
Same for the tumble dryer, it must be vented outside.

Shaun-UK · 9 Aug 2015

I was going to get a condenser tumble dryer as it has to go in the kitchen and I can't use the vent pipe. Will this be ok?

As for the pipe, I'll speak to a plumber and talk about burying the pipe deeper in the wall and see how much it will cost. I am redecorating the room later this year anyway

Thanks again

diynot

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Mains water pipe casing mould

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