Condensation in wardrobe / insulating foil

Fishandchips80

Hi! I recently moved into a Victorian house with a large walk-in wardrobe in the main bedroom. It gets freezing cold in there and there is no ventilation. I recently discovered mould growing on some of the clothes on one side of the wardrobe (this side is an external wall). Today I removed all the clothes from that side and found wet (condensation I assume) on the wall (which is covered in silver insulating foil), and black mould in the corner where it isn’t covered in the silver foil. 

I’ve wiped it away, and am keeping the clothes off that side for now. I have ordered a tubular heater to install in there for some background heat, and in the meantime I put a small radiator in there which I’m sticking on twice a day for a short time just to give it a bit of heat. 

What I’m curious about, is whether heating it is actually a solution or if this might make it worse (because condensation forms when warm air hits a cold surface?). Any advice or tips from anybody who is more in the know on these things? It’s my first old house after years of new builds, so this is all new to me. Thanks! 

FrugaiMacDugal

Ventilation would help, perhaps leave doors slightly open.

You could try these hangers or these tubs.

Ambyth

Would go for the ventilation/allowing the air to flow. 

Ventilation and air circulation is beneficial for Victorian houses.  I also bought a Victorian house and the rooms with air circulation (some may call it draughty windows ) are the rooms which have less condensation and mold issues.  

Due to the construction, it is better to heat the home low and constantly rather than hot warmth on and off through the day. When I did this to find the right temperate for the house, I had to stop looking at the gas meter  , though by the winter the heating bill was cheaper!  

Good luck and enjoy your new home.

WIAWSNB

As said above - you'd almost certainly be less likely to have condensation in there if you left the cupboard doors open. For this to work, tho', the bedroom, too, would require some level of ventilation.
What you have now is a trickle of moist air getting in there, condensing out on the coldest surfaces, and not being ventilated away. 
So, an instant improvement should be had by following standard 'bedroom' ventilation techniques; heating on low, bedroom door shut to rest of house, and windows on 'vent', even ajar if cond issues are obvious - droplets on window panes, etc. Wardrobe doors wide open. Make sure hanging clothes aren't blocking air flow.
A 'solution' would be to line the wardrobe with even just 1" of Celotex, sealed at their edges, lined and painted. Then ventilate if needed - doors ajar, or fit top and bottom grilles. Perhaps a wee 300W tubular heater on a timer for winter.

Eldi_Dos

January is as good a month as any to have a clear out. Many of us have our wardrobes packed with clothes to such a extent that air cannot circulate around them. Another thing to check is that any outdoor jackets and coats are well aired and dry before putting in the wardrobe.

It may pay you to empty wardrobe and give surfaces a gentle wash down with a diluted bleach or sugar soap solution and allow to dry out before using again.

For ventilation I would get a small USB type fan, can be got for around ten pounds and very cheap to run and position that so that a airflow is going through the wardrobe and clothes that are in there.

Cherryfudge

For the sake of the clothes, if you have an outdoor clothes line at all, try to get them out there periodically. The fresh air and background UV will help keep them fresh. If you can't get them out of doors, at least air them , move them around, let the air get to them.

Perhaps a dehumidifier in the room would help.

Fishandchips80

Thanks all for the very helpful suggestions! 

I removed all clothes from that side of the wardrobe, cleaned it down with a white vinegar spray, and have started opening the wardrobe doors to ventilate when I do my daily opening of the bedroom window to ventilate in there. I have a tubular heater on the way. 

I haven’t noticed any wet on the wall since, so it looks like it was indeed predominantly an airflow issue. 

I think the safest solution will be to just not keep clothes on that side anymore. I really hope I don’t see the issue on the other side now, although that one isn’t an external wall so hopefully not 🤞🏻

WIAWSNB

Fishandchips80 said:

Thanks all for the very helpful suggestions! 

I removed all clothes from that side of the wardrobe, cleaned it down with a white vinegar spray, and have started opening the wardrobe doors to ventilate when I do my daily opening of the bedroom window to ventilate in there. I have a tubular heater on the way. 

I haven’t noticed any wet on the wall since, so it looks like it was indeed predominantly an airflow issue. 

I think the safest solution will be to just not keep clothes on that side anymore. I really hope I don’t see the issue on the other side now, although that one isn’t an external wall so hopefully not 🤞🏻

"Daily opening of the bedroom window to ventilate in there..."
If the bedroom isn't used during the day, then heat off, windows on vent or more, and shut the bedroom door. Leave it like that.
Yes it'll be cold, but it'll also be dry.
Heat back on just when it's needed, say before bedtime and t'morn. Only on minimum during the night, again ideally with window on vent - use a good duvet or even all-night blanket to be warm.
You'll wake to a dry room.