Damp/mould in fitted wardrobes

another_casualty

Two further things that I could / should mention ;
Dont forget to measure the size of your trickle vents . They can be purchased from fleabay
If you do purchase , make sure you tick box for correct colour .

As for different wardrobe options . Maybe a couple of tall boys ? May be worth looking at the Next App for furniture sales . In the meantime it may be an idea to wipe mold with flash wipes and possibly purchase clothes protectors like those in the dry cleaners etc ..

GDB2222

lauraj27 said:

another_casualty said:

I can only give a slight comparison to your situation op:
I live in a gd flr converted Victorian flat , rendered walls etc. There was dampness in my main bedroom .  I have to be mindful of ventilation by using my mains powered dehumidifier in the colder months . Also either opening windows or trickle vents daily.
It all seems to be under control now 🤞

When I moved into the flat, I did briefly think of a fitted wardrobe . However, I think if I did, I would have the same situation as you have . I have a wardrobe which is not pushed against the wall and the external wall is not wet thankfully . Reading this post just made me double check.  

I finally got round to changing the trickle vents a few months ago. Something I should have done when I moved in over 4 years ago. 

The 'only ' thing I have as far as I can see is dust at side of wardrobe and back . I thought it was mold but the parts I could reach around the skirting board seem to be less dirt when tackled with a long feathered duster.  No marks anywhere else behind wardrobe .
I do sometimes get black mold ( minimal ) around the double glazing from time to time , but flash wipes clean that off fairly quickly .
It does seem that you may have to dismantle wardrobe for ventilation , and possibly get a chest of drawers or a wardrobe less bulky that doesn't cover the entire area ..

The difficulty with this is that there isn't anything on the market that is suitable for the space which was one of the reasons we went for a fitted wardrobe. A chest of drawers isn't viable as it will mean that there won't be anywhere to hang up any clothes that need hanging up. 

We spent a lot of money on the fitted wardrobe and I can't help thinking it was a complete waste and it it us going to cost a lot to put it right. It obviously needs doing its just galling. 

How easy was it to replace the trickle vents as I think ours do need replacing

You may be right, but I think you are not making the best of the situation. Get a dehumidifier, and it should all be dried out in a couple of weeks. You'll also need to clean off the mould. Ideally, get a dehumidifier that's quiet enough to run whilst you're sleeping, perhaps on a lower setting. 

You also need to work out whether the fundamental problem is water ingress or simply condensation of the moist air in the house at a cold spot. Either way, you'll need to work out how to fix the problem long term, but a dehumidifier will fix it short term.

Rodders53

This - as already said - is most probably condensation from your breathing as the wardrobe backs are directly against the outside solid wall (cold).

When we were in an end terraced Victorian house I fitted MFI wardrobes against the outside wall... OOPS mouldy clothes and shoes resulted.  Some 2x1 battens (or the metric equivalents) against the wall to space the wardrobes away (and allow air to circulate) cured that (although some clothes were ruined).

This is what the so called professional designer-installers should have done during installation.  Plus ventilation gaps, slots or grilles as needed if floor to ceiling all round.

A dehumidifier will not stop you breathing out water vapour at night and that condensing on the cold surfaces.

coffeehound

It sounds like the EWI later in the year should hopefully solve the cold wall issue.  So really if you can keep the wardrobes in good condition until then, hopefully they won't need to be ripped out.  

We don't know how bad the situation is behind the wardrobe and whether damage has already been caused to the materials.  But I would first gamble on it being okay and just try to nurse the situation using measures suggested until the EWI is installed and reassess the situation after that.  Nothing to lose by trying and maybe save the wardrobes from unnecessary destruction

Another precaution that should help prevent further condensation is to heat the inside of the wardrobes continuously until warmer weather.  Low-wattage tube heaters are an economical option.

I don't know anything about whether you have grounds for a claim against the fitter, but that would be a question for the Consumer Rights board to get some more opinions

lauraj27

Rodders53 said:

This - as already said - is most probably condensation from your breathing as the wardrobe backs are directly against the outside solid wall (cold).

When we were in an end terraced Victorian house I fitted MFI wardrobes against the outside wall... OOPS mouldy clothes and shoes resulted.  Some 2x1 battens (or the metric equivalents) against the wall to space the wardrobes away (and allow air to circulate) cured that (although some clothes were ruined).

This is what the so called professional designer-installers should have done during installation.  Plus ventilation gaps, slots or grilles as needed if floor to ceiling all round.

A dehumidifier will not stop you breathing out water vapour at night and that condensing on the cold surfaces.

Thank you for the reply. Just to clarify it isn't the back of the wardrobe but the side. No carcass was put up against the wall, instead the wardrobe fitted around it if that makes sense. 

The wardrobe is floor to ceiling and we did query during the design stage about ventilation gaps/slots/grills were told that this were not necessary and wouldn't be needed. 

coffeehound said:

It sounds like the EWI later in the year should hopefully solve the cold wall issue.  So really if you can keep the wardrobes in good condition until then, hopefully they won't need to be ripped out.  

We don't know how bad the situation is behind the wardrobe and whether damage has already been caused to the materials.  But I would first gamble on it being okay and just try to nurse the situation using measures suggested until the EWI is installed and reassess the situation after that.  Nothing to lose by trying and maybe save the wardrobes from unnecessary destruction

Another precaution that should help prevent further condensation is to heat the inside of the wardrobes continuously until warmer weather.  Low-wattage tube heaters are an economical option.

I don't know anything about whether you have grounds for a claim against the fitter, but that would be a question for the Consumer Rights board to get some more opinions

Thanks for the reply - I think too much time has passed to raise a consumer rights issue and the company in question is notoriously bad at customer service according to Twitter. 

another_casualty

The only thing I would comment on regarding the consumer side of things , is that I avoid Twitter like death and if I wasn't impressed with the service I'd go to trustpilot and leave my feelings there . I haven't used facewipe for absolutely ages but it is handy to do that also.

Have you any pictures of wardrobe ?

[Deleted User]

@lauraj27 i had this problem, recently, and it's happening in just 1 room, i've kept the humidity in that room lower by setting the room thermostat up by  .5 degrees...... 
I have one of those 'weather stations' that displays the temp, humidity etc.
If i keep that room at 19.5 the humidity is between 42 and 47%, if i let it go to 19 the humidity rises up to 52%
The colder the room the higher the humidity.
That room has an east facing external wall which makes that side of the room prone to condensation.

This is just my own observation and opinion , others have their own methods.

greyteam1959

We had a problem similar to the OP many years ago.
I cured all the mouldy clothes problem etc by doing the following.
Fitted PIV Nuaire Drimaster 2000 to be exact, cost around £250, ceiling mounted,fitted it myself.
Drilled some large 2 inch holes in the plinths of the wardrobe & the same in the top of the wardrobe.
This provided a flow of air.
You could cut & fit fancy vents top & bottom if you prefer