Black Mould Problem

[Vir Campestris]

Mould is a fungus, algae a (single celled, usually, but not when it's seaweed) plant. But I wouldn't count on correct identification.

Andy

[Fredxxx]

Harry made the distinction and I would have said black mould was a fungi. I have always associated algae with continuously wet places, not ones that cycle between wet and dry. The exception is lichen which is a composite algae-fungal structure.

I was hoping for a more detailed explanation from Harry of why you would go out of your way to buy an algicide to remove a fungus.

[News]

In message , T i m writes

Sister XXXX trumps science, obviously :-)

[News]

In message , Tricky Dicky writes

The house in which I grew up was built in 1954 and had a pantry with a window covered in mesh, rather than glass and, I am sure, a vent near floor level, the idea being to introduce a constant flow of air with warm air exiting the window and cold air entering the vent. I don't remember any condensation problems, although the door to the pantry was just outside, rather than inside, the kitchen, and the house was not centrally heated until shortly before I moved out.

[Another John]

Richard ... [to my surprise] nobody has yet mentioned HG Mould Spray, which is "the dog's" at clearing mould - I learned of it a few years ago from this group.

-- that's just the first hit, not a particular recommendation for a source.

I also have a problem spot (in our dining room), which I've had for years. Low down in the corner of the outside wall, which has little air circulation, and is north-facing, and what's more this part of the house is tucked down at a lower level than the garden behind.

Your dehumidifier will get rid of the damp, and HG spray will deal with the mould itself.

Cheers John

[T i m]

Which is a shame of course, especially when it's a 'science' problem. ;-(

I wonder if that comes under the 'BS baffles brains' saying (it certainly does here).

I wonder if there was actually a single point in time when stuff that should be 'a hobby' or something you do for fun (like football, jumpers for goalposts etc) suddenly became justifiable as something you should be able to earn a living from?

How does being able to run 100m faster than anyone else be something that you should earn a living from ... I mean, it makes sense if you are trying to outrun a tiger (or your mates and the tiger) but how does it actually help anyone or society?

Maybe I'm too much a utilitarian to get it (even though I can see how it happens). ;-)

When the revolution comes, I really wouldn't want to be a ballet dancer, artist, footballer ...

Cheers, T i m

[DICEGEORGE]

Block the vent and insulate the pantry with kingspan, then the steam will condense in the kitchen on the coldest surface, probably on the windows where you can see the moisture.

[g]

[Tricky Dicky]

Update, SWAMBO bleached of the mould which came of fairly easily, no flakin g paint or any signs of damp. The foil test was inconclusive but the fact t hat some water bottles we removed to clean the pantry had condensation on t hem suggests to me that it is internal moist air condensing that is the pro blem.

Yesterday we had the dehumidifier on in the kitchen which felt noticeably w armer and when SWAMBO fired up the hob to full boil the lack of condensatio n on the windows was noticeable. We also kept the pantry door ajar and limi ted the vent by shutting over the not so air tight cover. There was no cond ensation apparent even on the water bottles that were put back.

I am satisfied it is internal moist air that responsible for the mould and it looks like for now we can use the dehumidifier to keep on top of it. Lon g term wise when the kitchen gets done the plan is to block the vent and re move the pantry, get better heating and provide better ventilation for cook ing rather than rely on the dehumidifier.

Richard