HOUSING MOULD S
• Penetrating damp permeating the walls • Rising damp – usually caused by non-existent or defective damp proof courses
• Wet or damp basements or crawl spaces
Condensation is caused by high relative air humidity inside the house, for example: • Too much water vapour or steam being generated • Inadequate ventilation. Not using extractor fans or opening vents or windows
• Inadequate heating • Too much heat • Inadequate drying after major water leaks, bursts or floods
IN THE HOME AND HOW TO TACKLE IT...
There are two underlying reasons why mould might appear in a house – structural reasons and condensation. Modern Housing Solutions offer some timely advice.
tructural issues are related to the fabric of the building which means water or moisture is getting into the property. Examples of the types of problems include:
• Water seeping in around windows, the roof, downspouts, guttering and internal plumbing
So, how do you tell whether the mould in your home is caused by a structural issue or from excessive condensation?
Mould resulting from structural issues tends to appear in the following places: • Walls under the lower corners of windows • Floors around toilets and under dishwashers • Walls around uninsulated cold water pipes • Around the chimney in the attic • Near damaged or blocked downspouts
• Bottoms of walls - bridged or earth covered damp proof courses • Damp walls or floors • Cracks and holes • Efflorescence - a harmless, white powdery deposit on walls which is a sign of moisture.
Mould from condensation tends to be seen in the following areas: • On ceilings over the bath or shower • Window glass, sills and frames • Under or behind the toilet and cistern • Exterior walls and tiled surfaces • Behind furniture on exterior walls • Top corners of the walls which are the furthest from any heating source • Areas where a dry wall is attached to an exterior wall
In Britain, condensation is mainly a winter problem when warm moist air is generated in areas like kitchens and bathrooms and travels to colder parts of the house. Water vapour is produced in relatively large quantities from normal day to day activities – a five person household generates about 10 kg of water into the air every day (before any heating) from: Breathing (asleep) 0.3 kg; (awake) 0.85 kg; Cooking 3 kg; Bathing/ showering 1kg; Washing and drying clothes 5.5 kg; Heating – all carbon fuel produces water on combustion.
DIO/MHS have produced a very good fact sheet which shows what you can do to reduce condensation and tackle mould in the home, available on the MoD website. However, in cases where mould is occurring in SFA and caused by structural or ventilation issues, such as insufficient extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens, families should contact the MHS Customer Helpdesk (0800 707 6000) and ask for someone to come and look at it. This is a new initiative from MHS where a Technical Officer will attend with a damp meter and make an assessment.
There is much you can do as a family to reduce condensation and mould. But if you have an on-going situation with mould and you feel it has not been addressed, eg. the area has been treated and painted over but it keeps coming back, please call the MHS Customer Helpdesk and ask for a Technical Officer visit to reassess the situation. You should also call the Helpdesk whenever you see mould re-appearing so a record can be built up. It would also really help MHS to know if this is a common problem on the street/estate as this could indicate a wider issue.
36 Envoy Winter 2012
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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