Mould Problem

[mutantcamel]

Hi hope you can help me. I am experiencing some mould problems in my bedroom.

I had a bookcase with an hardboard backing right up to the outer wall. To my horror I found the backing covered in mould. I then moved the bookcase away from the wall and treated the backing with some mould killer. The bookcase was left a few feet away from the wall, so air could move around it better, but the mould just came back as bad as before.

I have 2 other bookcases which are on the opposite wall, which is an internal one. The bookcases were screwed to the wall, but out of interest I removed them and the mould growth was far worse on these. I also noticed some wooden items standing on the bookcase also had mould on them.

I also have a real problem with mould around my window, the edge of the wall and the ceiling edge above the window is also full of black mould spores.

I have bought a de-humidifier to remove the moisture from the air and help get rid of condensation.

But I’ve also bought some Thermal Liner Paper which I plan to put on my walls, then wallpaper over, then paint over it with some anti-mould paint.

Will this solve my problem? The thermal lining paper says it helps walls breath and resists mould/damp formations. The problem is apart from near the window, I have found no mould growth on the actual walls, just on certain types of wood in my bedroom.

I can easily take the thermal paper back to the shop. It was really expensive so don’t want to start to redecorate if I don’t need to strip all my walls and repaper again!

Could I just paint over my existing wall with anti-mould paint and put the thermal lining paper just on the back of the bookcase?

I keep getting conflicting advice…please help!

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Assuming the envelope of the building is not allowing moisture to penetrate it (ie its leaking), once that has been discounted, in principle it is very easy to solve.

You remove (or reduce as much as is practicable) the sources of condensation.

and/or

you increase ventilation.

That said, sometimes in older houses neither of these can be fully realised and some condensation has to be endured.

What age and construction is the house? What heating do you have? Do you have extractors in the bathroom? What ventilation do you have in the rooms at present? Are the windows double glazed or single? Do the windows have trickle vents?

Generally the thermal lining paper is a rip off and does not address the issue. You will still have the same moisture condensing against the surface of the wall.