Getting rid of mould and making sure it doesn't come back

[willcjarvis]

Hi all,

I'm currently renovating a flat in a pre-WW2 building which suffers from mould on the internal walls, floors and ceilings, especially in the basement areas.

I would dearly like to say goodbye to the mould for good.

The basement floor is slab on grade, the walls are 1.5 bricks thick, English bond, the flat is just above ground level, local humidity averages are 83% in winter and 70% in summer.

It is also terribly cold in winter [expensive too] so I am planning to insulate the exterior, replace the windows and doors, and to caulk the hell out of the place to achieve a more air tight building envelope [to deal with the heat loss]

I know this will, however, mean less gravitational ventilation and, so, more humidity, mould, etc.

I would like to stop humidity / moisture from getting in, and to ventilate the flat well, while retaining heat.

I was thinking about a HRV along side some kind of damp proofing...

Unfortunately, i know pitifully little on the subject..

What are the most cost effective means of damp-proofing and reducing ventilation heat loss while avoiding / getting rid of mould?

 

[foxhole]

You need to ventilate, you can't prevent moisture entering, you breath out moisture and produce lots with cooking and washing, bleach or mold removers will kill the mold , only adequate ventilation will prevent it reappearing.
Heat loss thru good ventilation is minimal.