So many of the anti-mould paints are not overpaintable. Looking online today I see that there are a lot of options that are said to be not overpaintable. There are some that don't specify this feature one way or another. I haven't spotted one yet that claims specifically to be overpaintable.
The best I've seen so far is this offering because at least it has lots of colour options:
Zinsser as sold by Screwfix/Toolstation
What is causing the mould. That is the question. The problem is that the spores will just seed somewhere else usually and so the main thing is to find the damp source and stop it first. Brian
The main contributor seems to be condensation. Recently moved into an electric only flat and are waiting to see our first bill that includes heating, before investing in electrical solutions like dehumidifiers or powered extractors.
Having bought anti mould spray from Lidl and then treated the offending patches to a double dose, it may be that ordinary emulsion would be sufficient to cover the treated areas.
The idea of now painting these areas with anti mould paint may be considered as a belt and braces approach but I wouldn't want to be spraying unpleasant chemicals around the place too often in future.
As some of the affected rooms are decorated with different colours, I'd prefer not to buy multiple pots of different coloured anti mould paint, which are available.
Just one colour that was overpaintable with ordinary emulsion would be preferable.
Not being a professional and also a bit lapsadaisical I tend to get a bit scared off by information that would have me buy a large range of items to do one job. I realise that mixing and matching is a possibility. But these articles usually advise or imply the need for caution in straying from the branded list.
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Mike Halmarack snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes
Might be useful to discuss the problem with neighbours in similar flats.
Way back we had a thread on extract heat recovery. This was related to issues of condensation in a North facing, 60's build, uninsulated cavity wall block.
Where clothes drying, excessive showering, cooking etc. put lots of moisture into the air which promptly condensed on the cold upper parts of the North walls.
Luckily the flats were commonhold and nobody objected to us putting in a central heat recovery system plus extractors for bathroom and cooker hood.
The absence of any details whatsoever is more than a bit limiting. Given that I can only mention the most commonly effective approaches, dehumidifier & reducing excess steam output when cooking. More ventilation sometimes suffices.
NT
symptom rather than cause
if you have a damp problem you need to get on & tackle it or things often go very much downhill
usually those are bleach
Antimould paint is not a solution, but it can help with an otherwise almost adequate approach. 2ndly there is no need ot use nasty chemicals, aspirin, borax etc are fine. Even bleach is enough in the mildest cases.
Not mixing the mould killer into paint is often a better approach.
NT
too much misinformation on the 2nd link. The 1st is honest enough to admit that you need to sort the problem out first, painting is cosmetic.
NT
If its condensation and not damp penetration then one of the ordinary paints designed for kitchen/bathroom wetter areas use would suffice. If you still have any staining after dealing with the mould then I would recommend a paint designed for sealing the area first or you may/will find that the stain bleeding through your new paint. I've used Zinsser 1-2-3 sealers with success and then used a paint of my choice over the top.
I did add a bit more detail in response to Brian Gaff's post. This combined with my original post is all I know about the situation. I was hoping that a few responses would throw a bit of light, which it has. I'll certainly be considering a dehumidifier if the next leccy bill doesn't break the bank. My wife is a steamed food fan, which I'm sure has an effect.
Don't you mean mixing mould killer into the paint would be better
Discussed it with a few, who have had similar problems.
The kitchen, which is the worst affected room, is north facing, 70's build, with uninsulated cavity.
That certainly rings a bell.
These flats have a jointly held freehold which sounds quite similar. Getting consensual agreement is said to be tricky though. Maybe the AGM is the time and place.
The extraction used on the existing Electrolux cooker hood stops at the activated carbon filters contained within.
I don't know the model name and number of this cooker hood. Nothing immediately visible. It may be that its current setup can easily be modified to connect a vent pipe leading to an as yet non existent hole in the wall. Maybe A ZipUp tower and a diamond hole cutter will suffice for that. I've done such things before in my earlier DIY days. Someone else will have to do it this time.
Sounds like good advice, I'll look into that. Thanks.
The best time to do this is before you buy the place :-)
At the end of the day it boils down to lack of insulation and/or not enough heat and/or ventilation.
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That is so true. I never did perfect my property buying skills and it's unlikely that there'll be many more practice opportunities.
That's why I find uk.diy such a help. There's a lot of knowlege generously offered here, that often compensates for my lack of expertise.
All of those for sure, though I'm hoping to overcome some of them and there are some positive aspect to the place. Quiet, by the sea, no passing traffic but very close to a mainr bus route. Short walking distance to the town and several big supermarkets.
This isn't a sales pitch, by the way :-) Even I wouldn't mistakenly introduce black mould as a feature of one of those.
Ahh, by the sea. So possibly a humid atmosphere too. Is this a south coast location or somewhere where the winter air can be a bit more 'bracing' ?.
Is this one those buildings that had cavity walls, but with stonking big vents allowing a howling gale to whistle through the cavity ?. Many houses were built like this in the 1950's and 60's, so you are effectively living in a property with a single brick skin separating your habitable space from the outside air. Plus add on solid concrete floors/ceilings where that slab extends out to the outside giving another nasty cold-radiator effect.
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Interesting that you should ask. It's even more southerly than much of the south coast. BUT around the back, where the rotary washing lines are it's known locally as Pneumonia Alley. This is mainly because we're on a cliff with very little sheltering terrain around. Possibly there are other contributory factors too, like lots of oldies prone to such negative effects.
Yes indeed and also the wind and rain drives in so hard it precludes the addition of cavity wall insulation I'm told.
Cor lummy guv! The for sale sign goes up first thing tomorrow morning.
And I thought my only problem was black mould.
if I meant that I'd have said it.
NT
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