Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

No probs. It's not common knowledge, in my experience. We tend to forget that mold is living organism, not just another kind of dirt. Bleach can be an encouragement to the blasted thing.

If you go to the cleaning aisle in the supermarket, you should find something suitable.

Once you've remedied the source of the problem (such as the pointing or whatever) remember that it can easily take 12 + months for the damp area to dry out and don't panic if you have to keep treating the mold/ damp. Slow and steady wins the race.

Mold spores are everywhere in the air, to the tune of several million per cubic meter. What they like is still air, absence of light and a bit of moisture. Given those, they set up housekeeping.

As well as treating it with a proprietory mold-killer, do all you can to get sunlight and moving air into the afflicted area. A big ask, given this climate in winter, but we can only do our best in our individual circumstances.

You need to keep an eye out for mold as it destroys the surfaces it grows on, with a few exceptions like glass, and is a beggar if it gets into your shoes or clothes. Be very careful of cupboards/ wardrobes which back onto an outside wall or an area of unheated void, such as the stairwell in blocks of flats, or meter cupboards.

I've probably made you all mold-paranoids now. Keep an eye on the possibly trouble spots and hopefully you'll never have more than a minor problem.

[Deleted User]

GreyQueen wrote: »

Cat's in, therefore time to batten down the hatches.

If I battened down the hatches, every time Buggalugs came in, I'd never leave the house.

GreyQueen

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

If I battened down the hatches, every time Buggalugs came in, I'd never leave the house.

You think this would be a problem for the cat?! Humans should only leave the home in order to fetch extra supplies for the cat. All other excursions are strictly unnecessary.

Heck, what if the cat wanted food or a door opened or a lap to sit on and you weren't instantly available? Can you imagine the distress such laxity causes our feline employers? Shame on you, Bob.

Hollyberry

That's interesting regarding the ventilation and mould. Although we have many problems with the house, mould has never been one of them, probably because we have way too much ventilation for our own good. It's a mixture of sash windows, double front doors, and a big cellar underneath the front of the house. Still, every dark cloud, & all that... Plenty of 'em (dark clouds, that is ) around, but merely drizzle at the moment for a change.

I had a momentary shock while grilling my cheese and tomato toastie when there was a muffled bang from the grill (which is also oven 2). The grill seems to be still working ok, and I think it was the light at the back of the oven that blew. I can't see any debris, particularly any glass (using my trusty torch, of course), so I'm assuming it's still ok to use. Anyone know anything about electric ovens? I don't know if the oven itself still works - haven't tried turning that on yet. Certainly the grill is ok on full and half grill settings.

nuatha

GreyQueen wrote: »

To those who worry about my sad life, I am intending to go out for the second time today later. I remembered the "Palais" a fleapit cinema comprehensively unimproved and thus affordable and shall hie me there to watch The Desolation of Smaug. Once I'm in Mirkw00d, the state of the carpetting at the Palais will be a non-issue.:p

The state of the carpeting might even add to the Mirkwood ambience.
(I have fond memories of our local independent cinema, sadly departed, as people would rather travel 10 miles and pay twice the price at a chain)

Hollyberry

Alas the decent local independent cinema is now a half hour drive away, but well worth it due to the collection of odd films it screens. Although I haven't been for a while, as the last thing we saw there was the Queen of Versailles - and there's a fine film about indulging wants beyond your means.

GreyQueen

nuatha wrote: »

The state of the carpeting might even add to the Mirkwood ambience.
(I have fond memories of our local independent cinema, sadly departed, as people would rather travel 10 miles and pay twice the price at a chain)

It's nowhere near as fleapit-y as the small and long gone cinema in my hometown. It needs a fair bit of money spent on it, in terms of decor and doesn't have the most state-of-the-art sound systems but it's perfectly acceptable and is nearer £5 than £10 which is what the big chain cinemas here want.

I was looking at the prices last night and nearly having forty fits. I don't go to the movies much, don't have much spare cash for entertainments, but was going to see this movie next week with a friend to celebrate their birthday. Then it transpired that one of our gang has seen Hobbit already so we'll need to chose something else.

A two-movie-and-pizza-parlour-meal month is a bit more than I normally stretch to, but I saw the trailer online and thought that it looked like my kinda escapism. Prolly won't go to the movies again until Jan 2015 - just in time for the final part of the trilogy.

_pale_ Urgghh, neighbours smoking weed again - headache here I come.

Mrs_T_M

Hollyberry wrote: »

I had a momentary shock while grilling my cheese and tomato toastie when there was a muffled bang from the grill (which is also oven 2). The grill seems to be still working ok, and I think it was the light at the back of the oven that blew. I can't see any debris, particularly any glass (using my trusty torch, of course), so I'm assuming it's still ok to use. Anyone know anything about electric ovens? I don't know if the oven itself still works - haven't tried turning that on yet. Certainly the grill is ok on full and half grill settings.

If it's anything like our grill/oven (oven on bottom, grill section directly on top of the oven, but with it's own door), ours does that when it cools down quickly (or heats up quickly). It's the metal between the oven and grill expanding and contracting to the point it pops a bit. Really loud and makes me jump every time, even though I expect it now!

We were given a new to us bread maker a few days ago, and I do have to say, I'm in love with it! Already made onion and cheese bread and pizza dough, and cinnamon roll dough is in it at the moment. I can make breads the old fashioned way, but lately my wrists have been acting up (I'm only 28, so I think it's pregnancy hormones playing a dirty trick), so I cannot knead the dough properly.

[Deleted User]

I've just recieved in the post a lovely little cookery book called 'QUICK BREADS' by Linda Collister and it's all non-yeasted breads made with baking powder or bicarbonate of soda so I'll have a play and see if they work, many of them use rye, spelt or oat flour and there is a good cornbread section too. On going through my cookery books this morning I found an old wartime one I'd forgotten buying called 'GOOD MEALS FROM TINNED FOODS' by Ambrose Heath so I reckon both will be very useful if we ever end up living from our stores for any reason, Lyn xxx.

mardatha

Oh MrsL - I would love to hear about oat bread, if and when you ever get around to it..
No mould in this house ever, it's far too bloody draughty lol.
Have spent a happy hour downloading and sticking wee post-its to my desktop lol. I am easy pleased