yates Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 The bungalow we bought just over a year ago has started to have mould problems. The problem areas are the corners of the ceilings and around the window frames. We had the loft insulated as we were told that this would cure the problem. Does anyone have ideas on how to cure this problem. Any helpful ideas would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Get a dehumidifier - now it's cold outside condensation is much more likely, you will be amazed how much it will pull from the air in a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 open some windows, we had air tight sealed house, and mold, fitted a log burner and therefore open airways, no mold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 It's the cold from the lintels causing condensation on the plaster. I have the same in my en-suite about an inch wide strip above the window, best way is drill a few holes and squirt expanding foam in to the gap to insulate the back of the board. Suprising how many put cavity closers in then don't do anything under the lintel to stop the cold bridge. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filzee Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 As pretty much already covered you need to improve air flow. Air bricks fitted, humidifier, open a window etc should all help. Best stuff i found to clean the mould off is a green bottle of mould remover from Wilkinsons, it really does the job of getting rid of it and it doesn't grow back through for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axor Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Im really interested in the answer to this and if any one has any help. I have the same problem. I have been in my house 14 years and never had a problem with mould, I had the loft insulated and then black mould spots started to appear on the ceilings and some walls. I have checked that the air can still circulate in the loft and none of the eves have been block. Other than taking it all out I I would love to know how to solve the problem, putting in a dehumidifier would not make sense form a cost perspective Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielcosmin.dinu Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Dehumidifier it's the first and best option that you should go for. Depending on the amount of cash you are looking to spend you can start with renting a profesional one for a couple of weeks, you won't believe it the amount of water that these machines will remove in a couple of weeks, we had to empty a 5 ltr container twice per day when we plug it in first time. Then you should go and buy one , a better quality a better investment. After that you should start removing as much as possible the condensation source from the house. Drying clothes inside this time of year is the major factor for condensation, you can do it but have a dehumidifier running at all time. Cooking with your windows closed and your kitchen door open will help spreading the vapors in the house so make sure you close the door and open the window or start an extraction ventilor if you have one. Hot bath or showers, open a window here as well and make sure the door it's closed, you can go for a high flow ventilator that will do the job so you won't have to open a window. The normal ventilators that are normaly instaled won't keep up. In UK opening a window from mid october to march won't help at all, you will increase the problem as the air outside it's damp and humid, don't get me wrong, you should open the windows to let some fresh air in but don't leave open for long periods. If you want your problem sorted remove the mold and clean the surfaces where it has develop and spend some cash on a dehumidifier or even two of them for a biger house, it will keep your place mold free, will reduce the heating costs as a dry wall will keep the heat better and it reduce the risk of respiratory infections, mites, bacterias and other things that develop in a moist house. It did help us and other friends of mine so I bet it will help you as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielcosmin.dinu Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) Im really interested in the answer to this and if any one has any help. I have the same problem. I have been in my house 14 years and never had a problem with mould, I had the loft insulated and then black mould spots started to appear on the ceilings and some walls. I have checked that the air can still circulate in the loft and none of the eves have been block. Other than taking it all out I I would love to know how to solve the problem, putting in a dehumidifier would not make sense form a cost perspective Michael Michael, a dehumidifier will actually help you save some money, a dry home will heat up faster and retain the heat better.As for running costs , these are close to nothing, we have an energy smart meter : - for a 175 watts you are looking at around 2,5 pence per hour - a 300 watts,this is what we have - it costs us aprox 5 pounds per month running it for about 8 hours per day - for an average 250 watts running 24 hours - around 90 pence per day but you won't have to keep it on for that long Spending about 60 - 70 pounds per year just to keep you safe from mold around the house and away from respiratory problems I think it's worth it. Edited November 12, 2013 by Gabrielcosmin.dinu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDCREST Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Think a lot of it is down to Bungalows...basically not enough air circulation as you get when you have an upstairs... Not much help and I don't know the solution, as we moved out of our Bungalow and into a house because of this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Depends on what your willing to do but insulation wont stop moisture within the home. Drying washing on radiators, baths and cooking even our own bodies all put water into the air. On passive houses they use extractors that remove moisture but the heat lost is recovered from that air. The only real cure for condensation is ventilation, if you don't want to spend at present just open the windows for a period each day and especially watch wet washing and cooking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) I think your house needs to be able to "breath" better. A small fan that starts up when the humidity reaches a certain level works a treat. We have then installed in the bathrooms and the laundry room. Pax is one brand, I guess there is several others. /Markus Edited November 12, 2013 by Nuke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grayson Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I used to work for a company who dried houses out after floods etc. If you use a dehumidifier placed on the floor, try to use a fan (set on cold) near it, this will circulate the cold damp air which sits a few mm's above the ground and mix it with the warmer damp air, this will mean the dehumidifier will be way more efficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Can anyone recommend a good brand of home de-humidifer? I fully expect the best brands to cost more, but be more efficient and last longer than something cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielcosmin.dinu Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Can anyone recommend a good brand of home de-humidifer? I fully expect the best brands to cost more, but be more efficient and last longer than something cheaper. Eco air, DeLonghi ( what we have ) , Ebac . These three are the ones I know about but the offer it's huge out there and as with everything these days you end up what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I have a delonghi dehumidifier - it is amazing how much water it extracts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yates Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Thanks for all your replies, greatly appreciated Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Eco air, DeLonghi ( what we have ) , Ebac . These three are the ones I know about but the offer it's huge out there and as with everything these days you end up what you pay for. Indeed - i don't mind spending, but I want the thing to last. Reading reviews on Amazon, it seems that anything under 200 pounds may well break within 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I've had a dehumidifier from B&Q for at least 3 years now. Can't remember the brand off hand, but it cost about £50 IIRC. Works fine - doesn't pull a huge amount of water out of the air, but that's mainly because I keep my house cold! Might also try the fan trick as mentioned above... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son Of Potter Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I suffered with mold in the main bedroom of our groundfloor flat, was horrible, beds, wardrobes etc all ruined by it! We installed a PIV unit from these guys http://www.envirovent.com/ Not the cheapest around but in my opinion one of the best, we also installed a vent in the room and this has cured it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axor Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Thank you as well for the replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hi Ruby Dry D600 dehumidifier - does what it says on the box! I have one ticking over every other day in the 'Man-Cave' and it just keeps the moisture % at 45-50 - and is not expensive to run, compared to getting rid of mould, rust risk etc. Air Control Systems, in Trowbridge, were best on price. Richard there was helpful in clarifying questions. Cheers, L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 we have the dreaded black mould problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I was a surveyor and another vote for Envirovent from me. Their humidistat fans are cracking bits of kit. Do your windows have trickle vents ? If not and they are upvc they are easily installed if there is enough room in the head of the frame. Air flow is crucial so any furniture needs to be away from the walls as far as practicable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRNDL Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 we have the dreaded black mould problem +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 we had a cold north wall which suffered from awful mould, i got the cavities filled free of charge via my power company and its made a world of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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