Mould or efflorescence?

[xscope]

Hi,

I recently had a room plastered in my flat.

Before it was plastered, I noticed some white fluffy mould like stuff on one of the walls.

I cleaned it off, and used at 4 or 5 coats of mould killer over it.

It took a while for the plasterer to come round, and I noticed the day before he arrived that this mould like stuff had re appeared.

I showed it to the plasterer, who said, don't worry, he'd clean it off, and when unibonded, and skimmed over probably wouldn't re appear.

However, the next day this stuff has appeared on the new plaster.

I've had a chat with next door, (i.e. the other side of this wall). They have a built in shower on that side of the wall. - they suspect maybe the pipe feading the shower is leaking - they've been very good, and are going to sort this out ASAP.

The question is, what is this stuff on the wall? All the mould I've seen before on walls has been black, whereas this is white and fluffy, and has kind of crystals in it.

I've uploaded some photo's at :-

[Dave Fawthrop]

|Hi, | |I recently had a room plastered in my flat. | |Before it was plastered, I noticed some white fluffy mould like stuff |on one of the walls. | |I cleaned it off, and used at 4 or 5 coats of mould killer over it. | |It took a while for the plasterer to come round, and I noticed the day |before he arrived that this mould like stuff had re appeared. | |I showed it to the plasterer, who said, don't worry, he'd clean it off, |and when unibonded, and skimmed over probably wouldn't re appear. | |However, the next day this stuff has appeared on the new plaster. | |I've had a chat with next door, (i.e. the other side of this wall). |They have a built in shower on that side of the wall. - they suspect |maybe the pipe feading the shower is leaking - they've been very good, |and are going to sort this out ASAP. | |The question is, what is this stuff on the wall? All the mould I've |seen before on walls has been black, whereas this is white and fluffy, |and has kind of crystals in it. | |I've uploaded some photo's at :- |

Efflorescence, mould does not sparkle.=20 Cure the damp and it will go away, or dry line the wall. If it were mould, cure the damp and it will go away, or dry line the = wall.

--=20 Dave Fawthrop

17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! Yorkshire Dialect go to

[Lobster]

Agreed, for sure. I'm guessing someone's already told you it isn't mould, because you mention the word "efflorescence" in the subject but nowhere else??

Is the wall to next door solid or cavity? If the latter, it's not likely that a leaking shower next door would make your walls damp (but that's not to say efflorescence couldn't happen anyway.

David

[Merryterry]

Test the crystals by licking your finger then put it in the cystals and taste your finger. If it tastes salty youve got efflorescence. Dont worry, the amount you ingest is not going to kill you.

Either way you have got a damp problem that has to be sorted.

Good luck

Merryterry

[Dave Fawthrop]

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 18:23:46 GMT, Lobster =

wrote:

|Dave Fawthrop wrote: |> On 14 Jan 2006 06:57:32 -0800, "xscope" = wrote: |>=20 |> |Hi, |> | |> |I recently had a room plastered in my flat. |> | |> |Before it was plastered, I noticed some white fluffy mould like stuff |> |on one of the walls. |> | |> |I cleaned it off, and used at 4 or 5 coats of mould killer over it. |> | |> |It took a while for the plasterer to come round, and I noticed the = day |> |before he arrived that this mould like stuff had re appeared. |> | |> |I showed it to the plasterer, who said, don't worry, he'd clean it = off, |> |and when unibonded, and skimmed over probably wouldn't re appear. |> | |> |However, the next day this stuff has appeared on the new plaster. |> | |> |I've had a chat with next door, (i.e. the other side of this wall). |> |They have a built in shower on that side of the wall. - they suspect |> |maybe the pipe feading the shower is leaking - they've been very = good, |> |and are going to sort this out ASAP. |> | |> |The question is, what is this stuff on the wall? All the mould I've |> |seen before on walls has been black, whereas this is white and = fluffy, |> |and has kind of crystals in it. |> | |> |I've uploaded some photo's at :- |> |

|>=20|> Definitely Efflorescence, mould does not sparkle.=20 |> Cure the damp and it will go away, or dry line the wall. |> If it were mould, cure the damp and it will go away, or dry line the = wall.

I forgot to add, when you are sure the wall is dry brush the = efflorescence off wait a week or too to see if it comes back, before decorating

|Agreed, for sure. I'm guessing someone's already told you it isn't=20 |mould, because you mention the word "efflorescence" in the subject but=20 |nowhere else?? | |Is the wall to next door solid or cavity? If the latter, it's not=20 |likely that a leaking shower next door would make your walls damp (but=20 |that's not to say efflorescence couldn't happen anyway.

Take a good look at *all* walls in that area, because damp can enter at = one place and appear at another.

--=20 Dave Fawthrop

17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! Yorkshire Dialect go to

[The Natural Philosopher]

It will go when th edampness is sorted.

No point in decorating until its dried out though.

[xscope]

Nice one guys. I'll wait for next door to fix the leak (or whatever else is causing the dampness), then I'll scrape off, wait a few weeks and then decorate.

Thanks for your help.