Condensation/mould in wardrobes

[mikey]

I'm having a few problems with condensation in wardrobes, the condensation is causing mould which is settling on clothes. I installed fitted wardrobes as the problem was really bad with free standing wardrobes and even though it's a little better the problem is still there. I know ultimately the cure is to stop the source of condensation, but that's easier said than done. Until I can do that can anyone offer some advice on the following ideas I have:

The fitted wardrobe is on an external wall, the wall is a thick stone wall. I've read that condensation occurs when air cannot flow freely so I'm toying with the idea of installing a couple of air bricks in the wall, however as this will also make the area colder won't this make the inside of the wardrobe more likely to attract condensation/mould?

I'm thinking of painting the inside of the wardrobes with anti-condensation paint, then lining the walls with that polystyrene on a roll, then painting the polystyrene with the anti-condensation paint. This will increase the temperature of the wall so it won't attract the condensation/mould, but does that mean the mould won't settle on the walls but instead will settle on the clothes making the situation worse than ever?

I actually have a dehumidifier in the bottom of the wardrobe that I leave on for several hours a day but I'm still getting mould on clothes. Any advice would be helpful as I'm pretty desperate to cure this annoying problem.

Mike

[unknown]

Can you not leave the dehumidifier on all the time and let the humidistat decide whether it needs to be switched on or off?

[mikey]

To be honest I've been leaving it on maximum more or less right through the day and I'm still getting mould on clothes. The wardrobes have many compartments and sub compartments and I don't think the dehumidifier is good at reaching into all the nooks and crannies.

Mike

[Peter Parry]

Condensation occurs when warm moist air meets colder objects.

Yes.

That won't do anything.

Your problem is the house is inadequately ventilated. The wardrobes are trapping moist air from the house and getting cooler because of the outside walls thus causing condensation to occur.

To raise the temperature of the wardrobe you need to line the outside wall with something better than a mm or so of polystyrene. Ideally use a cm or so of Cellotex (Kingspan) on the walls facing the inside of the wardrobe. Do not insulate anything other than the outside wall.

Condensation doesn't settle - it appears on cold objects subject to warmer moist air. The air cools when it passes the cold object and water condenses out onto the object.

You need to improve the house ventilation or raise the house temperature. Once you have insulated the outside wall the problem should reduce or go away. If it doesn't using the dehumidifier will certainly work but you will need to make sure there is adequate airflow in the wardrobe so it can function. It may be necessary to cut slots in shelves to allow this or shorten them by a cm to allow a gap between the shelf and the doors to allow air to circulate.

Putting better ventilation on the wardrobe doors will also help - if the wardrobe contents are at the same temperature as the room condensation can't occur (or if it does will occur everywhere in the room).

[meow2222]

Your dehumidifier is faulty then. Leaving a working one on a tenth of the time would give you bone dry clothes. They can look and sound like theyre working, but if the refrigerant circuit is faulty, no result.

A dehumidifier is a great solution, more info:

really need to sort the house damp problem though. Expertise on this: anticondensation paint is about as useful as a chocloate teapot.

NT

[Lobster]

Further to others' comments, I've had good success with lining the outside wall with polystyrene wallpaper (2 layers is better than 1), and improving ventilation/airflow between tne room and the wardrobe.

And use Dettox mould killer (in a spray bottle) to get rid of existing mould.

David

[Andrew Gabriel]

In a similar situation, I've used 25mm cellotex on the inside of the wall with plasterboard screwed through it into the wall, and skimmed, and that's worked fine. (It would be easier to use the cellotex which has a plasterboard finish one side, but I already had all the other bits left over from finishing another job.) These are the backs of old fireplaces, which were only 4" single skin brick north facing wall, and are now used as alcoves/cupboards. An infra-red thermometer shows them to be warmer than the surrounding 9" brick wall when it's cold outside. You do need to ensure the room air can't circulate in any gap between the wall and the insulation, or you'll get torrents of condensation there.

[Andy Cap]

That was my solution in a small bedroom and it cured it but of course any moisture has to go somewhere and the windows do get wet on very cold nights since I dropped the CH temperature a couple of degrees this winter.

The situation would also be improved by reducing the amount of moisture being generated by using an extractor when cooking for example.

Andy

[Peter Parry]

Rubbish - you can eat a chocolate teapot.

[Stuart Noble]

If it's collecting water, presumably it's working. However, with the wardrobe door open, it'll be pulling in moist air from all over the place. You really need to seal the area for a DH to be effective, which isn't practical in a house you're living in. If it's a north facing wall, insulation is probably the only long term solution. For a cheap/quick fix the polystyrene stuff on a roll might help. Not ideal but better than living in an unhealthy environment

[Chris Hodges]

But one section of the wardrobe could be bone dry and the rest damp. You might be better off putting it out in the room and opening all the wardrobe doors, possibly with a couple of fans and some warmth in there for a few days to give it a head start. Shut the rooom door and windows tight if you do this of course.