We have a first floor property which we let out in a 1960s brick-walled, concrete floored, double-glazed building. There is a humidity-driven fan in the kitchen and bathroom. During both of the winters which we've let the property (to different tenants), black mould has very suddenly appeared during the particularly cold snap on the outside walls of one of the bedrooms, the lounge and the bathroom, plus the bathroom ceiling. Both sets of tenants have told us that there is water streaming down the walls at times. Clearly (?) this is condensation, and appears because of "life-style", ie bathing, showering, cooking, and breathing in a warm flat which has cold uninsulated walls. The mould appears at the top of the outside wall and the ceiling in the bathroom, and just above the skirting in the lounge and the bedroom. I believe the best solution would be to dry-line all of the outside walls, and/or to introduce a fan into the hallway to "dribble" air movement through the property - is this correct? But would an alternative (substantially easier and cheaper) option/solution be to put 1 or 2 air vents into each room - currently there are none in the property?
Black mould
- Thread starter simonski1
- Start date
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If you can cause the flat to be ventilated, and can cause the moisture load to be reduced, then condensation will reduce or stop.
However many people like to drape wet washing about the home, and have an aversion to ventilation, so they will turn off fans, close windows, and block vents. In which case it cannot be cured. Possibly your tenants were very keen to do this during the very cold spell.
If they cannot afford to run a tumble drier, and have no convenient outdoor washing line, see what else you can think of. A vented drier takes the steam outside the house, but "condensing" driers emit variable but surprisingly large amounts of steam.
You might do better to get trickle vents on the windows (this is very cheap to do if they are wooden). Improve loft insulation so the tenants do not feel so cold.
Look for other sources of moisture such as leaking plumbing or roof as well.
It is also possible that steam is rising from the downstairs flat, especially if it is an older building with wooden floors. Thius is especially likely from the bathroom and kitchen.
Next time the flat is empty in winter, live in it yourself for a week or so and see how cold and damp it gets when you think you are behaving sensibly..
//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses
However many people like to drape wet washing about the home, and have an aversion to ventilation, so they will turn off fans, close windows, and block vents. In which case it cannot be cured. Possibly your tenants were very keen to do this during the very cold spell.
If they cannot afford to run a tumble drier, and have no convenient outdoor washing line, see what else you can think of. A vented drier takes the steam outside the house, but "condensing" driers emit variable but surprisingly large amounts of steam.
You might do better to get trickle vents on the windows (this is very cheap to do if they are wooden). Improve loft insulation so the tenants do not feel so cold.
Look for other sources of moisture such as leaking plumbing or roof as well.
It is also possible that steam is rising from the downstairs flat, especially if it is an older building with wooden floors. Thius is especially likely from the bathroom and kitchen.
Next time the flat is empty in winter, live in it yourself for a week or so and see how cold and damp it gets when you think you are behaving sensibly..
//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses
John, point taken about the washing - that hadn't occurred to me, and yes I've most certainly seen it draped around the place. Tenants in general have tended to be the "open window" variety but there again I've not happened to go round during cold snaps and I suspect the windows are then closed.
The windows are uPVC and therefore the trickle vents aren't an easy option, there is a flat above and concrete ceilings so loft insulation is not relevant, nor leaking roof, there is a garage underneath the concrete floors so again that isn't really causing a problem except it's obviously cold, there are no leaks in the flat (having looked very carefully at all pipework) so that is why my assumption is life-style.
A tumble drier sounds a sensible idea, and whilst I take your point totally about them blocking vents, I feel I can at least put the vents in and they can't be 100% blocked that easily. As for me living there sometime... a good idea idea obviously but I'm not certain what Mrs S will say![/i]
The windows are uPVC and therefore the trickle vents aren't an easy option, there is a flat above and concrete ceilings so loft insulation is not relevant, nor leaking roof, there is a garage underneath the concrete floors so again that isn't really causing a problem except it's obviously cold, there are no leaks in the flat (having looked very carefully at all pipework) so that is why my assumption is life-style.
A tumble drier sounds a sensible idea, and whilst I take your point totally about them blocking vents, I feel I can at least put the vents in and they can't be 100% blocked that easily. As for me living there sometime... a good idea idea obviously but I'm not certain what Mrs S will say![/i]
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