Big Problems with mould on my double glazed windows

ana_conda

Problems with mold on my double glazed windows

I've my new apartment just three years and currently its been let out. I had no problems in year 1 and 2 with the windows and doors. But new tenants moved in last August and there is dampness and mold every where on the windows. I nearly had a heart attach when i seen it.

I've attached picture here on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47245148@N08/


the builder and a guy from home bond came out to have a look told me it was the way my tenants are living in the apartment... not turning the heating or drying clothes in the apartment or not wiping the windows. I'm pretty sure that they are living there the same way as previous tenants were so I'm worried that there is a bigger problem.

In my apartment block there is only 5 other apartments so i asked the other tenants if they are having any problems and no one else is having the same kind of problems

I just don't know if what I'm been told by the builder and home bond guy is correct?? obviously they have their own interest to protect...should I get a second opinion and if so from who? Or are they just been honest ...is it the way that my tenants are living in the apartment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Poor Uncle Tom

ana_conda wrote: »

I had no problems in year 1 and 2 with the windows and doors. But new tenants moved in last August and there is dampness and mold every where on the windows.

ana_conda wrote: »

In my apartment block there is only 5 other apartments so i asked the other tenants if they are having any problems and no one else is having the same kind of problems

ana_conda wrote: »

I just don't know if what I'm been told by the builder and home bond guy is correct?? obviously they have their own interest to protect...should I get a second opinion and if so from who? Or are they just been honest ...is it the way that my tenants are living in the apartment.

I think you've answered your own question. It appears that lack of ventilation is central to the problems. Properly regulated heating and ventilation should rectify the problem.

If you want a second opinion get a good local Architect/Architectural Technician/Engineer to have a check with you.

sunnysoutheast

There's obviously no or very little ventilation.

Do you have trickle vents in the windows or vents in the walls? Maybe check that these haven't been closed off or blocked up.

I'd say the main problem is drying clothes on radiators or clothes horses inside the apartment. The warm moist air condenses on the coldest part of the house - which is your windows in this case - runs down into pools and mould forms. Incidentally another place you often get mould problems is the outside bottom of toilet bowls for the same reason.

Don't think there's much you can do apart from cleaning it up and telling the tenants in writing not to dry clothes in the apartment as this is causing damage. Wiping over some fabric conditioner is a reasonable mould repellent. Hopefully the problem will ease in the spring as it warms and windows are opened. Saying that we had tenants who didn't open their curtains, let alone their windows, for an entire year!

Good luck with it.
SSE

ana_conda

Thanks everyone I've checked the vents and they have left them open they have assured me that they are not drying clothes in the apartment but honestly I dont know?? I know that previous tenents did use clothes horses and didnt have this problem ...I'm just worried that now the mold is here i'll never shift it or that I'm actually having some sort of more serious construction problem?

Poor Uncle Tom

The photos are telling a story of their own. A lot of condensation on the inside of double glazed units, uniform mould growth on painted skirtings, pvc window frames, painted walls and floor coverings all point to a lot of moisture in the inside air which can not get out. So unless there is a large tropical open aquarium in the building the heating and ventilation is not being managed properly, imo.

ana_conda

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

The photos are telling a story of their own. A lot of condensation on the inside of double glazed units, uniform mould growth on painted skirtings, pvc window frames, painted walls and floor coverings all point to a lot of moisture in the inside air which can not get out. So unless there is a large tropical open aquarium in the building the heating and ventilation is not being managed properly, imo.

thank you so much well spotted ! there is an open aquarium n the apartment .......it all makes sense now.......so obvious thanks again Poor Uncle Tom!

beyondpassive

Ana,

This seems to be a problem in most celtic tiger era apartments. Its due to
1. cold bridging on the window reveal due to bad design.
2. inadequate ventilation.
3. heating system not correctly sized and pressurised.

A lot of apartments had no mechanical ventilation in the kitchen where water vapour from cooking, washing, dishwashing drying, aquairium, kettle, respirtation etc is not purged. The warm moisture laden air condenses on the coldest surface in the apartment. This is most often the north facing glass, however improvments in glazing technology have moved the coldest surface to the PVC or aluminium frame or more often the plastered window reveal cold bridge.


Solution, dryline window reveals, install mechanical extract in kitchen. Explain to the tenants the need to open windows when washing an drying. Adjust pressure in individual rads to put more heat into affected rooms or north rooms and less heat into kitchen.

Dont worry this problem is widespread, its due to the bad standards of detailing and workmanship during the Celtic Spider.
Homebond covers only structural defects and their very good at shirking even that responsibility.

muffler

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

So unless there is a large tropical open aquarium in the building the heating and ventilation is not being managed properly, imo.

ana_conda wrote: »

thank you so much well spotted ! there is an open aquarium n the apartment .......it all makes sense now.......so obvious thanks again Poor Uncle Tom!

:eek:



Well done Tom..............I think :pac:

sinnerboy

all a bit fishy to me

Poor Uncle Tom

energydj

I have the same problem with my apartment as well. Its all well and good telling the tenants not to do something, but when your not there everyday its very difficult to enforce.

I have just been out to my apartment and seen first hand the problems with mould. Its make the OPs pictures look tame.

Couple of questions:
Is the window company that made and installed them liable in any way?

Will the property mangement company help in any way?

Can I claim this repairs on my apartment insurance?

Poor Uncle Tom

energydj wrote: »

I have the same problem with my apartment as well. Its all well and good telling the tenants not to do something, but when your not there everyday its very difficult to enforce.

I have just been out to my apartment and seen first hand the problems with mould. Its make the OPs pictures look tame.

First of all you must be sure you know why the mould is growing, what is the cause. If it is caused by the tenants, get your solicitor to advise them to look after the property properly, that includes adequate ventilation, heating, and cleaning up excess condensation.

energydj wrote: »

Couple of questions:
Is the window company that made and installed them liable in any way?

Who knows? until you find out why the mould is growing in the first place. (also read the charter, we do not allow discussions of a legal nature here)

energydj wrote: »

Will the property mangement company help in any way?

In relation to mould growth, it is very doubtful, unless all apartments are affected and it is a problem for the whole building.

energydj wrote: »

Can I claim this repairs on my apartment insurance?

What repairs? you haven't mentioned any damage.

HardyEustace

I encountered a similar problem with a room in my house last night. One of my tenants is moving out so i was showing someone the room (I normally wouldn't see the room at all). I almost fell down with shock when I walked in and saw mould on the ceiling. The house is well heated and ventilated so I couldn't understand what happened.

Anyway, I then noticed that she had put a card over the ventilation grill. Thus obviously there was no air circulating in the room and no ventilation.

I'd check the ventilation grills and jsut see if there is any residue on them to check if they've been taping cards or cardboard over it.

Donovan01

It's hard to maintain those sealed double glazed windows. Even the uncertainty of our current climate is also a problem. The cost of replacing windows is also a hectic sometimes.

Poor Uncle Tom

Donovan01 wrote: »

It's hard to maintain those sealed double glazed windows.

In what respect is it hard to maintain a sealed double glazed window?

Donovan01 wrote: »

Even the uncertainty of our current climate is also a problem.

In what context?

Donovan01 wrote: »

The cost of replacing windows is also a hectic sometimes.

?

The thread is about mould growth on the inside of a double glazed window.

Uzume

Hi,

I can see this is an old post but I have the same problem.

I currently rent a house from my Brother and there is mould which regularly grows on the windowsills and Upvc window frames. It is obviously worse in the bathroom where it also appears on the walls.

We have tried everything - ventilation, removal of condensation etc. The problem is, there is little or no condensation on the bedroom windows and it appears in all seasons, front and back. Worse in the winter but it still appears in the summer. It doesn't seem to appear quite so much in the lounge though, just an occasional appearance there.

We never dry clothes on he radiators and for 2 years have tried to do everything we can to remove and kill the mould but it always returns.

I really don't know why it would be appearing in the bedrooms as well as the bathroom. As I said, there does not appear to be a moisture issue in the bedrooms, also all of the windows have vents in them which are permanently open. I'm really at a loss as to what is causing it.

BTW, I do not have any fish tanks :cool: