Black Mould (Should I Be Worried)?
Oh no, its that time of year again when you start to see little black dots in front of your eyes, The Condensation Season is here and back with a bang.
We have already had a flood of enquiries on our website from people all across the spectrum wanting our help to deal with this common problem.
So in this short blog, we are going to quickly go through some of the basic Black Mould info that may help you with your own problems.
What is Black mould?
Black mould will form in a property at this time of year due to high humidity, and a lack of adequate ventilation and insulation. In a nutshell, condensation will form on cold surfaces where the surface temperature is below the internal dew point temperature and in dead pockets of air in corners and behind furniture.
Is black Mould Harmful to me?
No, not if your fit and healthy, but it may irritate any pre-existing conditions that people have. The biggest danger to your health is the high humidity within the property which will increase viruses, bed bugs and dust mites and this is where problems with vulnerable people start. these are the elderly and young children, asthma sufferers and people with breathing issues or underlying conditions.
Can black spot mould kill me?
There currently is no known death directly caused by black mould registered in England. there are hundreds of thousands of types of mould and some are worst than others, mould also comes in other colours like green and white. Some are heavy where you will see these on the lower part of a room, some are light and these spores can be found on ceilings and upper parts of rooms.
Should I use bleach to clean it off?
Bleach is a bad thing to use as bleach contains sodium (salt) and salts are what we call hygroscopic meaning they will absorb moisture from the air compounding the issue. always check what ingredients are in the solution. what you need is a fungicidal wash containing Benzalkonium, and then follow the instructions. This may be a good short-term measure but the main problem with the property needs diagnosing and solving or this will be a continual job like painting the forth bridge.
Who do I ask to look at my black mould?
Ok this is where we get a bit harsh, it may be best if we say who not to ask and these would be
The so-called builder sent by the estate agent
The so-called builder sent by the landlord
A roofer, a painter, a joiner, a plumber, a tiler, an electrician, that old man that sits in the pub with his dog who Mrs Miggins said he told her to use Glen who solved her black mould years ago by putting air bricks all over the house but now the house is freezing and draughty oh and the moulds come back.
Can you see a pattern here, basically don’t use anyone that is not qualified as they would be guessing at what to do. You will know when they come into your house and start saying “it could be this” or It Maybe that” and I would try this first, then if that doesn’t work we can try the other thing I said”
If you feel your landlord is not sorting out the problem you can contact the Department of Environmental Health at the council and they will listen to your problem. If they deem it to be severe they will sort out the problem and then charge the landlord.
You can contact the Property Care Association (PCA) and do a postcode search on their website for your nearest qualified member who will access your property and tell you what is needed to put it right. Members who have the CSRT qualification have spent money educating themselves on the relevant courses to diagnose black mould issues and will put in place a scheme of repair for you. The surveys will not be free but what is in life, you get what you pay for and they will have knowledge of the latest tech and products to solve the black spot mould issues you currently have.
What products will solve the black mould problem?
So there are lots of different things on the market like
Positive Input Ventilation Units (PIV)
Alternating Fans
Extractor Fans (with built-in humidistats)
Heat exchange fans
Passifier Vents
Insulation boards and materials for cold walls
StormDry Masonry Protection Cream
Fungicidal Washes
Anti Mould Paints
Paint With Thermal Properties
A qualified surveyor will produce a report and tell you which of these you need to address your problem.
If you have enjoyed this blog and would like to know more click on our website alldrydampproofing.com where we will give you a free e book on damp in your property that may help you identify issues you have. We have more blogs and videos for you to enjoy too.