Mould on the ceiling
Author
Discussion

Hoppy2008

Original Poster:

2,496 posts

224 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
One of my BTL properties had a problem earlier this year with thick mould on the bathroom ceiling.
I had it all scrubbed off, rubbed down and re-painted. I put it down to the dirty feckers living there at the time.
When new tenants moved in I asked them to leave the bathroom window open afer showers, etc to improve the air circulation.
But the mould has come back!!
And not just in the bathroom, but also in the main bedroom.
Whats casuing this, and how can I stop it occuring?
Both rooms are double glazed.

Cheers
Hoppy

_Batty_

12,268 posts

279 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
moisture build up in the loft (or vapour drive)
is it a 'warm roof' (as in it has insulation between the rafters?) or a cold roof (between the ceiling joists?
does the roof have any soffit ventilators?

Hoppy2008

Original Poster:

2,496 posts

224 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
_Batty_ said:
moisture build up in the loft (or vapour drive)
is it a 'warm roof' (as in it has insulation between the rafters?) or a cold roof (between the ceiling joists?
does the roof have any soffit ventilators?
To be honest, I dont know.
thanks for your reply thoguh, and I will climb in the loft to have a lok this week.
Is it worth getting a dehumidifier?

Busamav

2,954 posts

237 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Ideally a room should have trickle vents to it.

I guess its going to be a lack of natural ventilation problem.

Get an extractor fitted in the shower area too , opening a window for a short while just isnt enough .



Edited by Busamav on Monday 24th November 16:13

R5GTTGaz

7,897 posts

249 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Fit an extractor with pull switch. PVA the ceiling before repainting.

Hoppy2008

Original Poster:

2,496 posts

224 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Busamav said:
Ideally a room should have trickle vets to it.

I guess its going to be a lack of natural ventilation problem.

Get an extractor fitted in the shower area too , opening a window for a short while just isnt enough .
Cheers mate, ill get an extractor fan fitted.

Autonotiv

2,673 posts

253 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
It will most proberly caused by high moisture levels in the air.

So thats most proberly why its in the bathroom (because its winter and they are shuting the window)
Is there a fan in the room? if not, fit one, and make sure it runs 15 mins after its been turned off, also you can get one's that come on when the hymidity is above a certain level.

In the bedroom are they drying cloths out on the rads?

Is there loft insulation? if not i would lay some.

Also are there trickle vents on the windows?

Oh cock, after all my typeing, every one else replyed!!!

Edited by Autonotiv on Monday 24th November 16:17

_Batty_

12,268 posts

279 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Hoppy2008 said:
_Batty_ said:
moisture build up in the loft (or vapour drive)
is it a 'warm roof' (as in it has insulation between the rafters?) or a cold roof (between the ceiling joists?
does the roof have any soffit ventilators?
To be honest, I dont know.
thanks for your reply thoguh, and I will climb in the loft to have a lok this week.
Is it worth getting a dehumidifier?
if its a cold roof (fiber insulation on the back of ceiling) it should have a constant flow of air across the back of it, hence soffit vents.
lift the insulation and see if the back of the plasterboard is damp.
if so, thats your cause.

Hoppy2008

Original Poster:

2,496 posts

224 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
_Batty_ said:
Hoppy2008 said:
_Batty_ said:
moisture build up in the loft (or vapour drive)
is it a 'warm roof' (as in it has insulation between the rafters?) or a cold roof (between the ceiling joists?
does the roof have any soffit ventilators?
To be honest, I dont know.
thanks for your reply thoguh, and I will climb in the loft to have a lok this week.
Is it worth getting a dehumidifier?
if its a cold roof (fiber insulation on the back of ceiling) it should have a constant flow of air across the back of it, hence soffit vents.
lift the insulation and see if the back of the plasterboard is damp.
if so, thats your cause.
Cheers Batty, ill check it out this week.

Mr POD

5,153 posts

221 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
R5GTTGaz said:
Fit an extractor with pull switch. PVA the ceiling before repainting.
Extractor fan to be linked into light switch amd or shower switch with a 5 minute time delay on turn off.

Like the PVA idea. I have a mildew problem too

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

280 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Mr POD said:
I have a mildew problem too
Have you tried seeing the doctor?

Mr POD

5,153 posts

221 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
Mr POD said:
I have a mildew problem too
Have you tried seeing the doctor?
Yes, she said my skin complaint was caused by my wife. Actually the stress of being married.

JRM

2,065 posts

261 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
Hoppy2008 said:
One of my BTL properties had a problem earlier this year with thick mould on the bathroom ceiling.
I had it all scrubbed off, rubbed down and re-painted. I put it down to the dirty feckers living there at the time.
When new tenants moved in I asked them to leave the bathroom window open afer showers, etc to improve the air circulation.
But the mould has come back!!
And not just in the bathroom, but also in the main bedroom.
Whats casuing this, and how can I stop it occuring?
Both rooms are double glazed.

Cheers
Hoppy
As others have said, make sure trickle vents are open and a fan if there is one - double glazing is more likely to cause these problems. I've got a drafter victorian pad and never get problems like this - which we did in our old modern place.

One other issue could be moisture in the plaster, which is potentially difficult to resolve - do you know when ceiling was last replastered & painted? Someone may have replastered the ceiling and then put moisture resistant paint on it, whish won't let it dry or breathe properly

ally_f

245 posts

216 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
I have this problem in my rented house ('normal' 1970's semi with pvc double glazing) - horrible green and black mould all over the window, ceiling above window and corners of the walls in all the upstairs bedrooms (but not the bathroom strangely!).

We've had cavity wall insulation put in, new insulation in the loft floor, cleared all the crap out of the gutters, fitted trickle vents, put anti mould paint and put dehumidifier pots on the windowsills on but nothing stops it!

its really disgusting, any advice would be gratefully received!

Deva Link

26,934 posts

274 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
ally_f said:
I have this problem in my rented house ('normal' 1970's semi with pvc double glazing) - horrible green and black mould all over the window, ceiling above window and corners of the walls in all the upstairs bedrooms (but not the bathroom strangely!).

We've had cavity wall insulation put in, new insulation in the loft floor, cleared all the crap out of the gutters, fitted trickle vents, put anti mould paint and put dehumidifier pots on the windowsills on but nothing stops it!

its really disgusting, any advice would be gratefully received!
http://www.vent-axia.com/products/vacas/residentia...

NDA

25,626 posts

254 months

Monday 24th November 2008
quotequote all
JRM said:
One other issue could be moisture in the plaster, which is potentially difficult to resolve - do you know when ceiling was last replastered & painted? Someone may have replastered the ceiling and then put moisture resistant paint on it, which won't let it dry or breathe properly
I had this problem once with a ceiling - it can be a big problem. Worth checking out.