Mould on Ceilings and walls of apartment

GK1001

Hi,

I have an apartment let out and when I was up there 2 weeks ago to check in, the tenants showed me the 2 bathroom ceilings were covered in black mould and it was in evidence to a much lesser degree on the walls.

There was also mould in the main ensuite bedroom at the window and ceiling joint to the outer wall.

I've identified the problem (not leaving the extractor fans on after a shower and closing the window vents and normal vent covers). How it built up so bad though is scary - I was only up there 6 months previous when they moved in. The ceilings were horrific.

My question though...

I cleaned off as much mould as I could at the weekend using a bleach and water solution. The walls are now completely clear. However I can see that there is mould under the paintwork of the ceilings. I gave them as much of a scrub as I could.
Is the mould I can see under the paint, just staining of the paint or still alive do you reckon? I ask as I have some special paint bought to repaint the ceilings that I was recommended and I don't know if it's a waste of time putting it on until I am sure all the existing mould is dead (http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/Thermilate-Warm-Coat-Paint-5L/11120/1.1.10.3)

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

MicktheMan

GK1001 wrote: »

My question though...

I cleaned off as much mould as I could at the weekend using a bleach and water solution. The walls are now completely clear. However I can see that there is mould under the paintwork of the ceilings. I gave them as much of a scrub as I could.
Is the mould I can see under the paint, just staining of the paint or still alive do you reckon? I ask as I have some special paint bought to repaint the ceilings that I was recommended and I don't know if it's a waste of time putting it on until I am sure all the existing mould is dead (http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/Thermilate-Warm-Coat-Paint-5L/11120/1.1.10.3)

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

Bleach/water is not a great treatment for cleaning off mould as the bleach (chlorine) doesn't absorb into the substrate (plasterboard) very well. A mix of white vinegar/water (1:3) with a half teaspoon of bread soda (bicarbonate of soda) in a spray bottle is better as the vinegar will absorb into the substrate. Why this is important is that the mould needs moisture to thrive and this moisture comes from continuous condensation. This condensation doesn't just happen on the surface but also within the plasterboard. What you are seeing is more than likely mould growth underneath the surface.

Having said this, if the source of the moisture is now addressed (better ventilation) the mould within the plasterboard will not live and you should be okay with redecorating. If painting, use an oil based undercoat (for wood) first to kill the staining and then finish with emulsion.

Finally, imo, all these "special" paints are a waste of money and if you don't want the mould to return ensure adequate heating and ventilation is supplied.

mad m

http://www.zinsseruk.com/product/perma-white-interior/

Used it a couple of times and haven't had any come back yet.

But as you know, fans and ventilation is key.

GK1001

Thanks guys. Hopefully my education of the tenants will mean I won't have to address this in the future. Lived there for 5 years myself without a hint of a problem. At least they were honest with me though and told me they were turning off extractor fans straight after showering (trying to save on electricity bills) and closing the vents because the apartment was cold (again trying to save on heating bills!!!), so it was easy to determine the cause. How they weren't concerned living with black ceilings I'll never know but I'll be paying more regular visits now over the winter.

oisinbutler

GK1001 wrote: »

Hi,

I have an apartment let out and when I was up there 2 weeks ago to check in, the tenants showed me the 2 bathroom ceilings were covered in black mould and it was in evidence to a much lesser degree on the walls.

There was also mould in the main ensuite bedroom at the window and ceiling joint to the outer wall.

I've identified the problem (not leaving the extractor fans on after a shower and closing the window vents and normal vent covers). How it built up so bad though is scary - I was only up there 6 months previous when they moved in. The ceilings were horrific.

My question though...

I cleaned off as much mould as I could at the weekend using a bleach and water solution. The walls are now completely clear. However I can see that there is mould under the paintwork of the ceilings. I gave them as much of a scrub as I could.
Is the mould I can see under the paint, just staining of the paint or still alive do you reckon? I ask as I have some special paint bought to repaint the ceilings that I was recommended and I don't know if it's a waste of time putting it on until I am sure all the existing mould is dead (http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/Thermilate-Warm-Coat-Paint-5L/11120/1.1.10.3)

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

Don't use this paint on the ceiling. It will be a waste of your time and money. Permawhite by zinnsser should work well for you but you must make sure the mould in the ceiling is dead first. Painting over it even with an oil based undercoat will solve nothing if the mould is still alive. Use mouldx mould killer and then mouldx anti mould clear coat barrier or something similar. Then you can paint on the permawhite.