Mouldy Walls

crafty_cat123 · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:56 pm

Hi
Can anyone help me as this problem is driving me round the bend. Our bungalow is now 5 years old, and all the walls are brick/breeze brick with plaster - not dry lined.

We seem to keep getting patches of damp in corners, or behind units and even behind the bed head on the interior of our external walls. Always at the base of the wall. I have removed the mould with anti mould and mildew spray, but the problem keep recurring. Is it possible that the walls still have moisture in after all this time from when they were plastered?? I can find no obvious problem with the outside of the wall. The walls do feel a bit cold where the mould is occuring. The walls are still painted in the original magnolia paint the builders used.

Can someone tell me what to do!!!!! I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Thermo · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:16 pm

sounds more like bad ventilation in the room. Try incresing it for a while after youve cleaned off the mould and see what happens. Dont bother with all those mould cleaners, a very strong solution of bleach and water will be more effective.

nstreet · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:23 am

More than likely a ventilation issue. Bungalows have a lesser air volume than a house. Stick a couple of adults breathing out lots of humid air and before you know it bits of mould appear. We have always had bungalows and always had this problem.

Get some DG windows with trickle vents or open the existing windows on the first latch to let in some fresh air.

Fit a good extractor in the bathroom and kitchen, extracting to the outside not one of these recirculating things.

Cook and shower or bath with the window open a little.

Never dry washing by hanging on the radiators or hanging up inside.

Consider air bricks for extra ventilation.

If you want to be really posh you can get a HRV (heat recovery and ventilation unit).

Get a decent fungicide to kill the mould, not one of these things you get in the supermarket. Although bleach will kill some of it and hide the stains it won't kill all of the spores.

Get rid of any wallpaper and just have emulsioned walls.

That should give you somefood for thought, let us know how you get on.

Thermo · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:09 pm

Quote:

Get a decent fungicide to kill the mould, not one of these things you get in the supermarket. Although bleach will kill some of it and hide the stains it won't kill all of the spores

I was given that information by both my doctor and my dentist (who swilling my infected tooth out with it at the time!) They both informed me it was the best killer of any type of mould that there was!

nstreet · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:01 pm

Just going by experience, bleached wall mould returned in 4-6 weeks, pukka fungicide, no more mould. I even sprayed the bleach on neat, not very pleaseant, lovely white walls though, couldn't see any mould.

Which ever method, you have to ensure good penetration into the plasterwork to kill all off the spores and ventilate thoroughly until dry.

Thermo · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:07 pm

blimey whats my tooth doing now then!

crafty_cat123 · Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:23 pm

Thanks for all your tips guys!! Have now moved everything away from the walls and have opened the windows to allow more ventilation. Will def try the bleach or fungicide option.

Thanks for all your help

gcol · Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:36 pm

Get yourself a dehumidifier - it worked for me. We had a mould spot at the bottom of out staitcase which is against an outside wall and has little heating there. I put a dehumidifier on the landing at the top of the stairs and it stopped it. Only seems to be a problem when the weather starts turning cold though - just turned it on again today after the Summer.
Cheers,
Gcol

Thermo · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:29 am

doesnt solve the problem only effectivly masks it. you need to increase the ventilation or find whats causing the damp