Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Black mould on walls

Posted by Sheila on January 14, 2023, 17:58:59

Where is all this mould coming from. I genuinely wonder how it starts. I was born in a terrace house in St Rollox Street and lived there for many years. I don’t remember my mother having a problem with black mould. Then our new council house didn’t have central heating. Freezing in the winter, but again no black mould. What are these people not doing to stop the mould. I really don’t know, but it is awful to live with. They need some expert advice, as the houses don’t look old.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Brian on January 14, 2023, 18:06:50, in reply to "Black mould on walls"

Older houses were designed with good air circulation that modern designers don't know how to build in, couple that with central heating and double glazing. With people using their heating less, the moisture clings to the walls and creates the mould. If people wipe down their windows and open windows especially in the morning and open internal doors occasionally it will lessen the moisture and damp, air circulation is very important.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Liz Sance on January 14, 2023, 18:46:33, in reply to "Re: Black mould on walls"

We always sleep with our bedroom windows open even in the coldest nights, we open windows around the house most days and in summer always have doors and windows open, we never have mould.
If, for some reason there is condensation on a bathroom window we always wipe immediately, I think is problem that we are now hearing about is because people don’t ventilate their houses properly and regularly.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Sheila on January 14, 2023, 19:10:16, in reply to "Re: Black mould on walls"

Thank you Brian and Liz, I just wondered how we were hearing about it with better housing. It must be dreadful to live with.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Liz Dance on January 14, 2023, 19:19:20, in reply to "Re: Black mould on walls"

I think it must be really terrible to live with mould, but I do think that ventilation would be helpful.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Allan Campbell on January 14, 2023, 19:31:06, in reply to "Black mould on walls"

We never have had black mould on the walls of any of our permanent homes but have had on temporary flats or apartments.

In the main it’s caused by lack of ventilation particularly if the warm air hits a cold surface. I suspect that the mould comes from airborne “ bugs” and maybe our breaths.

Showers seem to have problems as well as kitchens. Some surfaces are more prone than others.

The marble type wall tiles in our shower are absorbent in some areas and I have to clean off mould about every 4 weeks or so.

Our house gets mould on the bottoms of bedroom windows and the lounge French door/ windows.

This is only when it’s cold outside so usually Dec to March.

The French doors/ widows are worst due to their height as more cold air falls down to floor level. Regretfully the bottom of these are not very well insulated, added to that the curtains restrict air circulation.

The bedroom window get mild mould with the West facing window the worst as that get the the brunt of bad weather.

On a south facing window two of the three double glazed unit are blown even though they were replaced.

To clean off mould there are mould cleaners but beware of any containing bleach for some surfaces.

There are various devices or materials ( salt) that will absorb moisture from the air.

However that only way to cure it is to have walls covered with insulation backed plasterboard with studding or spot adhesives to attach to the walls. Done that to over 20 properties in the last 19 years.

Don’t forget floors and ceilings required insulation. we often found that there were gaps where the floor joists went into the walls and you then got a draught from the wall cavity due to the cement falling out on old buildings.

Note that each property may require a different solution and all usually expensive but health safety caps all.

The old barn that we live in had 15 to 18” outer walls so there is 3-4” of insulation between studding and the plasterboard and it’s 15 mm insulation.

It’s now 10 years since we moved into our barn conversion so I’m out of touch with the latest “tricks”.

Allan C.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by John Shearer on January 14, 2023, 20:33:56, in reply to "Re: Black mould on walls"

Purely a case of poor or no ventilation.

Re: Black mould on walls

Posted by Brian on January 14, 2023, 22:45:18, in reply to "Re: Black mould on walls"

I know of a street in Newcastle where one side of the street is over historic mine workings and have had damp and mould problems for years no matter what they tried they couldn't eradicate it.

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