Is mould / mildew worse this year, or am I going mad?

[Lockheart]

We live in a drafty Victorian terrace. Never really had a major issue with condensation on the windows or mould / mildew growing on the window frames, but this year it seems to have gone crazy on our two remaining single glazed, wooden framed windows (replacing all the house windows is a work in progress) and today I found a couple of mould spots on the wall on the landing, which we have never had before.

We are lucky and we can still run the heating for two hours twice a day, which is what we've always done. No changes there, although I know lots of other people are experiencing more mould because they can't put the heating on as much or at all.

All bathrooms are fitted with working extractor fans.

Windows are opened all the time in the summer, less so in winter but I'm trying to crack them for a little time each day. We have trickle vents on most windows which are open.

Laundry is often dried inside in winter, but again we've always done that.

I don't know what we're doing different that's causing this! I'm getting fed up of having to wipe down the windows each week and spend £10 a bottle on mould/mildew remover for the showers.

I said this only the other day! I swear the mould is getting worse this year, no advice but you have my sympathies as I'm battling the same issue

Yes! Perhaps a coincidence, but mould has sprung up in one of the bedrooms, the bathroom, the lounge and the kitchen! NEVER happened before in the 10 years we've lived here. Nothing different to usual, the windows are opened and heating is on. But the mould really appeared almost overnight and had to be scrubbed off with remover. Never have to do it except occasionally in the bathroom.

Well at least it's not me!

I could understand if we weren't using the heating for example but I'm honestly baffled.

Yes, it is. I presume it is a very wet and mild autumn after a very hot dry spell. It’s a natural phenomenon, a living thing. So it is only to be expected that it has good years and bad years.

Which is which of course depends on whether you are the mould,,or the mould wiper off.

You don't need to spend 10 quid on a spray. Astonish in the green bottle is the dog's bollocks and is only £1.

Here.

If you’re in a terrace, could it be because the houses either side have their heating on less?

I've never tried that but I swear by HG, it's magic stuff. I'll have a look for astonish next time.

Yes. It's mild and wet.

Grab some Astonish or HG Mould Spray and zub the spores.

Potentially but we're actually end of terrace, so no change on three sides!

Yes it is! and we have all double glazing, I always ventilate the bathrooms (and they have fans as well), but suddenly have mould on the ceilings! And don’t even mention my conservatory! 🙁

Yip, terrible this year. Another vote for Astonish here.

I was thinking same op!

Yeah I've never had mould in my sons bedroom this year I moved the cat bed on the window it was covered in mould im heating my house more this year but everywhere is just so DAMP

Yep, we have mould in two rooms that has never happened in 15 years. Heating is on less. Windows open more, but it’s so damp outside the walls (stone and a foot thick) are just sodden. Probably til Easter.

We’ve got mould in one of our bedroom ceilings, first time in 10 years. Annoying. I used bicarbonate spray (from Wilco), hopefully it won’t come back.

Definitely worse, I felt I couldn’t breath last night as the bedroom smelt so fusty. I’ve had the window open for 4 hours this morning but it felt just as damp this afternoon I guess because outside is so damp. So I shut the window and put the dehumidifier in there, which is reading 60% which is meant to be in normal range. 🤷‍♀️

Yes! 1930s semi here. Mould on the windows and loads of condensation. I don't get it. We've never had it before. We got a heated dryer and that's the only thing we can think is causing it but that's in the kitchen and the condensation is upstairs. Very annoying.

Also I was in the loft yesterday and the eaves are damp and water was dripping in a small part. Not sure if that's roof related but we've never had that problem before either. Joy.

I think ventilation is the key. Even opening the windows for ten minutes per morning helps keep on top of condensation.

We’ve always had a mould issue in the winter but this year it came back with a vengeance, it’s on the blinds!

We've been in this house for 25 years and this is definitely the worst, we are not doing anything different.

Yes I agree. One of our bedrooms has mould where there has never been mould before and I am doing nothing different from any other previous year.

It's been an impressive year for toadstools/ fungi which has been put down to the weather, so there may well be a natural advantage to moulds in addition to peoples' changes in heating and energy use.