Moulds and condensation Issues £££ spent HELP!!

Fairyeggs

Hi All,

Ok here the Story, we live in a purpose-built flat (2008), us owners are managing the freehold. I'm the only owner that lives in 1 of the flat. So, I keep an eye on these things and email the other flat owners is Jobs need to be done. I done a few bits myself. We have one issues we never been able to solve in the communal area where we all access our front door, Moulds and condensation Issues.

Attach is the pictures, and I will list what we done so far, and we have work on expert advice to get these. I didn’t agree but at the time they were all against getting heating in for the communal hallway, which I think would solve all the issues. The building is 2 x flats downstairs, 2 x flats upstairs. The hallways have stairs.

The issues started in 1st winter 2008, we had the door replace in 2010 as advise as it was wooded and did not fit properly. So, door was replacing at 1k.

Still did not solve the issues. in 2015, the 2 top windows either side was replacing, with an air vent in the windows. As you can see in pic, they are the white bit on top. £800

This also did not solve the issue.

2020, Above the door way it turns out there was no insulation in that roof, so paid £200 (was out of my hand as no one wanted to pay for heaters even thou we have 5k in the kitty). Still did not work and as you can see the attach is the latest pictures.

So, they have agreed to put heater in the hall way and wire it to the landlord power. We have no sockets so will have to get one installed. Upstairs is fine. no moulds. as heat rises.

I believe this is cause because when we open our flat door. the hot air escape and within mins, those windows will then kind of steamed up. It is freezing out in the hall way. I suggested we get 2 x heaters. we no gas in the village, and put them by the windows.

I'm hoping someone here might be able to help with a diffrent ideas.. . It such a pain and forever cleaning all this.

Thanks Iain

neilmcl

Yes cold, damp area and lack of ventilation is the problem. Has anyone actually considered cleaning down the mould properly with bleach or a decent anti-mould spray.

Fairyeggs

neilmcl said:

Yes cold, damp area and lack of ventilation is the problem. Has anyone actually considered cleaning down the mould properly with bleach or a decent anti-mould spray.

Yes every 2 week here. Lack of venttilation.. there is vent on the windows both side.. and the window up stairs open now and again.. the door is use all the time. What more ventulation can we get by the door and windows.. As it so cold out there i think enough cold air getting in.. Why i think the hall way need heating.

Doozergirl

I think you're right.  It needs ventilation but it won't really help if that area is consistently freezing cold. Is there no residual heat in there?  Are you satisfied that the insulation is sufficient and not broken in any way? 
 

The mould has also taken hold into the wood and plaster by now, so it might will always be a bit of an issue, but if you're cleaning it every couple of weeks at the moment, the problem isn't just live spores in the plaster.  

Fairyeggs

Ok.. maybe change those windows then so we can open them.. there is NO heating in the hall way at all.. we don't need it as just an entrence to everyone flat that all... but the problem is just by the door,,

It not on the plaster.. the celing some ply wood with space.. we got in from the roof as there was not any insulation in there... so did that and it an improvement as that liitle roof was all black.. it all just on the windows.. and the windows still and round the door..

those windows will be dry.. but the other day i left my door open for 5 min.. those window jind of steamed up.. the vents was open.. and then it turn to water hench the molds on the windows still as obv i can't check every 5 min when some leave to wash the water up.

Norman_Castle

Anti mould paint on the ceiling and cill would help. Consider replacing mouldy sealant. Fitting vents in the panels next to the door could be an option. Could the letterbox be used as a vent? If it was fine with the previous draughty door reintroducing the draught should solve the problem.

What are you cleaning with, bleach is not recommended. https://moldblogger.com/3-reasons-why-you-should-never-use-bleach-to-clean-mold/

Jeepers_Creepers

Fairyeggs said:

those windows will be dry.. but the other day i left my door open for 5 min.. those window jind of steamed up.. the vents was open.. and then it turn to water hench the molds on the windows still as obv i can't check every 5 min when some leave to wash the water up.

Which door is 'my' door - the door to your flat or the outside door?

I suspect it was the door to your flat, in which case what happened isn't a surpise. The air inside your flat is warm and moist - warm air holds far more water in suspension than cold. When you open that door, this warm-moist air flows out and hits cold surfaces, cools, and can no longer hold on to the moisture - this therefore condenses out.

Yes, one solution will be to fit a heater in that hallway, the idea being that if you keep that area nearly as warm as the flat's interior, the warm moist air will no longer condense out so much. But that's a costlyish solution - both to install and run.

The other solution is as said above - ventilate that area properly. It might seem weird, but if you were to leave that exterior door open (I'm not suggesting you do - it's just to make a point), then that hallway will be colder still, but dry. So the trickle vents were a good move and positioned well either side, but it's seemingly not enough. If these windows had openers which could be left on 'vent' setting for a good through-flow, I think that would help a lot.

All that mould is almost certainly being caused by the air coming out of people's flats whenever they open their own doors.

What insulation was added to the ceiling - I'm surprised that hasn't helped more. But your basics choices are (1) ventilate thoroughly, or (2) heat it up.

coffeehound

This might be one situation well suited to a de-humidifyer.  You aren't going to stop people walking wet in on clothes and shoes (and dogs?) or billowing out of flats.  Ventilation alone won't cure it in cold weather.  Heating it would be pricy.  Just for the winter months a dehumidifyer with costs shared between the reisdents might be the most workable.

coffeehound

Given the sharply defined shape of the stain on the ceiling, wonder if there is a rain leak above?

theoretica

I would try leaving the upstairs window open a bit then open your flat door and see if you get the same condensation on the glass.  You get better ventilation with a through draft.

Fairyeggs

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Fairyeggs said:

those windows will be dry.. but the other day i left my door open for 5 min.. those window jind of steamed up.. the vents was open.. and then it turn to water hench the molds on the windows still as obv i can't check every 5 min when some leave to wash the water up.

Which door is 'my' door - the door to your flat or the outside door?

I suspect it was the door to your flat, in which case what happened isn't a surpise. The air inside your flat is warm and moist - warm air holds far more water in suspension than cold. When you open that door, this warm-moist air flows out and hits cold surfaces, cools, and can no longer hold on to the moisture - this therefore condenses out.

Yes, one solution will be to fit a heater in that hallway, the idea being that if you keep that area nearly as warm as the flat's interior, the warm moist air will no longer condense out so much. But that's a costlyish solution - both to install and run.

The other solution is as said above - ventilate that area properly. It might seem weird, but if you were to leave that exterior door open (I'm not suggesting you do - it's just to make a point), then that hallway will be colder still, but dry. So the trickle vents were a good move and positioned well either side, but it's seemingly not enough. If these windows had openers which could be left on 'vent' setting for a good through-flow, I think that would help a lot.

All that mould is almost certainly being caused by the air coming out of people's flats whenever they open their own doors.

What insulation was added to the ceiling - I'm surprised that hasn't helped more. But your basics choices are (1) ventilate thoroughly, or (2) heat it up.

Front door as in the main door into the building you see in the Pic. I'm thinking of getting the side windows replace to be able to open.. enough so we can't have unathorise access to this building. Might cost a bit but need to be solve
I suspect it was the door to your flat, in which case what happened isn't a surpise. The air inside your flat is warm and moist - warm air holds far more water in suspension than cold. When you open that door, this warm-moist air flows out and hits cold surfaces, cools, and can no longer hold on to the moisture - this therefore condenses out. - Yes this i understand why it happening. but i need to come up with soultions to the other owners to be able to use the money in the pot to get it done.