Problems with mould

[Deleted User]

So are you seriously saying that buildings.., our homes.., can't cope with humans breathing? I think we should just take away the oxygen.., that would solve that one.

Surely this theory means that our homes (which we are supposed to be able to LIVE in) if this is true (and I don't believe it is) are not fit for purpose. If they don't have enough ventilation already to allow humans to breath in the bedrooms.., they aren't fit to live in.

We build homes to keep out the cold. Otherwise we'd still be living in grasslands with no shelter. Not so we have to keep windows open and freeze because otherwise they'll rot around us.

Clutterfree

Keeping the window open at night *may* help the problem a bit but it will not solve it.
Someone's breathe at night would not cause mould to form behind a wardrobe.

The OP lives in a period property.
When her house was built, it didn't have double glazing, it didn't have central heating, it didn't have hot water on tap (causing lots of steam) and I doubt it was draught proof. Therefore it had natural ventilation - it could breathe.
Unlike modern homes, old homes were not designed for our modern home comforts which results in condensation forming on windows, in corners of the ceiling and behind furniture which results in mould.

Dehumidifiers will not solve the problem - humidity will still occur.

As I said previously, a Positive Input Ventilation unit should solve this problem. We had ours fitted last August and I so wish I had done it sooner.
I really didn't think that a device that ventilates through the loft would have such a major effect to our mould problem but it works. Yes, if you stand underneath the unit it feels a little cooler underneath but I'm not in the habit of standing on my stairs for too long!

Sorry to keep going on about it - I'm not affiliated with the manufacturer, etc - but it is the only thing we have found to work.
If it stopped working in a few years time I would definitely repurchase without hesitation.
I was sceptical but it has made such a difference to our home I would recommend it to anyone who has this problem in a period property.

MortgageMamma

I just wanted to point out at this point that we DO NOT have the heating on overnight - we just can't afford to do that right now. And there is another reason why I am taking the mould so seriously. I have a compromised immune system presently due to a chronic illness and I can't afford to get ill as I also have a disabled child. I've almost lost my life to pneumonia twice now, the year before last I had it in both lungs.

It is quite upsetting to feel judged because I do not want to sleep with my windows open but you just can't do that all through the winter when you have health problems. Our radiators are so tiny they take 2 hours to even get the nip out of the air in most rooms and that's when running the heating at max temperature. Once I've got some warmth, why would I want to open the window and get really cold again and on top of that cost myself money?

I think my only realistic option is to move - the LL knows about this problem and knew years before we arrived (been here since 2013) so he is unlikely to do anything to resolve it. I think I will look for a nice new build to rent somewhere at least it'll be to a decent standard and will probably save us money in the long run.

slowpoke_rodriguez

MortgageMamma wrote: »

. I've almost lost my life to pneumonia twice now, the year before last I had it in both lungs.

.

Sleeping in a damp environment, I'm not surprised!
I've had pneumonia and I know it's not pleasant. That's why I sleep with the window open. I caught the pneumonia in hospital, where they seem to have forgotten the benefits of a bit of fresh air.

Seriously; get a good duvet and try it. A 14 TOG will keep you warm down to about -10C.

It's a bit cheaper than a PIV, and it's something you can do to help yourself...

[Deleted User]

I have a 13 tog duvet, and use one or two fleece blankets and am still cold. And I don't have a window open at night (I do leave it open during the day). The temperature is rarely as low as freezing, so sorry, I don't believe a 14 tog duvet will keep someone warm at -10 (and yes I do sleep on a bed rather than the floor).

I live in a maisonette built in the 60's so its hardly a period property but the bedrooms are at the back of the house (so don't see the sun unlike the lounge). It has two outside walls and its always the coldest room in the house.

I can't afford heating on 24/7 so just pile the blankets on. At times I have two duvets.

One duvet for -10 degrees, no I don't think so.

FBaby

What your landlord should do is pay to identify the cause of the damp. If it is due to poor ventilation, it is your responsibility, if it is structural, it is theirs. I wonder whether cases when it gets really bad is a combination of both but neither party is prepared to do something about it.

The fact that you open the windows only for a few minutes during the day (are you opening ALL the windows), and that you do have overcrowding of furniture so the air can't move around much is not going to help. Ultimately, you can't blame the landlord for the place being too small for all your furniture.

However, if there are issues with the structure of the walls, it is not fair that despite all efforts, you are still experiencing that level of dampness. If you wanted to make things most reasonable, you could maybe agree to pay for half the cost of getting someone in to do a report?