Mold In House

JordanHurley

Currently I'm trying to sort a problem in my Girlfriends parents one story house.

The house is supposedly a system built house, block exterior and wood interior.
I've done construction through secondary school for 6 years so I would've though I knew something.

Anyway, the problem is that there is black mold forming on the external walls, roofs in the bedrooms and bathroom. Initially I searched online and used what I knew to my knowledge that the problem was that the attic wasn't insulated to any degree really. So we went and did that. Wiped away the mold (Which wiped away with a dry cloth) and painted over it.

It worked for awhile, but it came back again. What seemed worse, in the bedroom my girlfriend and I sleep in actual droplets of water form on the roof above us. So I looked into it more, considering it's a system built house, it's apparently not "meant" to have vents. I did find this strange as a house without ventilation just didn't sound right to me.

Also the living room started to form mold on the lower walls when we insulated the attic, it's a medium sized room, open plan really to the kitchen.

So, when talking to someone in the Co-op they told me that it was the ventilation, instead of selling us the expensive mold resistant paint he sold us vents and told us what we needed.

The thing is, is it the right thing to do? Install vents or is there something else wrong?

Ruu

Have moved this to a more appropriate forum for you. Please read the current charter. Thanks.

Mod.

JordanHurley

Thank you Ruu - found it difficult navigating through the forums as it's my first time using this.

the evasion_kid

I'm getting the same problem were I'm living at the minute the only advice I can give you is to mix some bleach with water to wipe away the mold its supposed to kill it on brick, if its plasterboard you'll have to remove it.

JordanHurley

I don't think it's mold as such, like living organism. It's literally spots from the moisture sitting there.

I'm sure vents work in such a way that the moisture is attracted to the cold which would be in the vents pipe itself and sticks to the inside of that rather than around the room? I'm looking for confirmation.

BryanF

JordanHurley wrote: »

1. , the problem is that there is black mold forming on the external walls, roofs in the bedrooms and bathroom.

2. The bedroom my girlfriend and I sleep in actual droplets of water form on the roof above us.
3. it's apparently not "meant" to have vents.

4. they told me that it was the ventilation, instead of selling us the expensive mold resistant paint he sold us vents and told us what we needed.

1. Is there mechanical vents in bathroom & kitchen. There should be. There should be passive vents (whole in wall or window trickle vents) in all bedrooms/living room ie habitable rooms
2. Do you open the window at night? You should.
3. Rubbish. It's in the building regs. Did they not teach you this in your six years study of the subject? http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1647,en.pdf
4. Correct. A house needs 3 things to avoid mould: Heat, ventilation and insulation. By increasing the insulation without proper ventilation You saw the mould problem get worse. You need to minimise (by ventilation) the internal water vapour sitting on cold surfaces ie walls/ ceiling/ windows - water vapour condenses on these surfaces when their surface temp is not high enough.

JordanHurley

BryanF wrote: »

1. Is there mechanical vents in bathroom & kitchen. There should be. There should be passive vents (whole in wall or window trickle vents) in all bedrooms/living room ie habitable rooms
2. Do you open the window at night? You should.
3. Rubbish. It's in the building regs. Did they not teach you this in your six years study of the subject?
4. Correct. A house needs 3 things to avoid mould: Heat, ventilation and insulation. By increasing the insulation without proper ventilation You saw the mould problem get worse. You need to minimise (by ventilation) the internal water vapour sitting on cold surfaces ie walls/ ceiling/ windows - water vapour condenses on these surfaces when their surface temp is not high enough.

Before I reply, just leaving you know that I do believe and had though all houses should be ventilated. It was the handy man in the family that opposed my idea that it should be due to it being a system built house.

1. No, the house has no ventilation anywhere what so ever.
2. No, windows are not opened at night. Rarely during the day.
3. Yes, I did learn it in school, I actually did a full course on how to make your house more efficient. As said above, it wasn't me that was against the idea of it.
4. Heat - yes. Ventilation - No. Insulation, attic yes but the walls seems to get very cold. Apparently the walls can't be pumped like other houses can be. It has to be dry lined. That's very expensive so It won't happen as they plan on moving any who.

Thanks for your reply, I do appreciate it. It's confirmed everything for me.