Mould survey/remediation - totally clueless, can anyone help?

[VillageFete]

Hi,

There was a musty smell near our bedroom window as the gutters were blocked and we had a leak. That’s been dealt with now and we’ve also had a new roof put on. There’s no musty smell now but i’m seeing what I think is condensation and a small patch of mould near to the window.

I’m worried sick as my 8 month old sleeps in my bedroom and I know that mould can be a major issue.

After Googling, a Company called Pure Maintenance came up who seems to dry fog the place. Has anyone used them? They seem a big “Salesy” I like the fact that they are apparently non toxic though.

I’m looking for the best course of action. I need someone to tell me what kind of mould it is and how to go about getting it safely dealt with but I literally have no clue where to start.

Has anyone had this issue and can advise?

Attaching pics

If it's only an issue since you had the leak then it's probably temporary as the wall dries out. Specialist repairs could be a waste of time to be honest as if there is moisture in the wall it will keep looking for a way out. I would wash it regularly with a bleach solution, ventilate with open windows as much as possible and use a dehumidifier to help draw out the moisture. You can get a pretty good electric dehumidifier unit for under £200 (which you can also use to help dry clothes in the winter!)

This. Totally. Get some bleach on it, and remember that ventilation is key to discouraging mould.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m just worried sick about the baby being in the room and I believe if you wash it off yourself it can release toxins which can be harmful? I literally know nothing about this.

It’s been a problem for about 18 months, maybe longer but I just didn’t think anything of it until recently. I couldn’t physically see mould, just smelled a musty smell. I have only recently physically seen it.

1 - do not use bleach. Mould fights back, releasing mycotoxins which are worse than the mould itself, and small enough to get into the bloodstream through the lungs. Also it has root-like things, which bleach doesn't reach, so you think you've got rid of it but you've only bleached it.

2 - you can identify the mould with a test kit from Mould Lab - a tape test on the visible bits and/or an ERMI in the room/area

3 - fogging is not the magic solution some would have you believe

4 - good, diligent, knowledgeable mould investigation/remediation companies are few and far between in the UK. Two are Mould Focus and Action Dry

@comeondover This is really helpful, thank you.

I spoke to Mould Focus, great company, but I got the impression they’re used when there’s a really big problem. It seems a huge job for a small issue.

At this point, it’s a small patch but i’m just really scared because it’s the room that my baby is in. I really don’t know what to do.

I could have Pure Maintenance come in and do dry fogging, but is it pointless?

@VillageFete I'm no expert but I've learned more than I ever anticipated or wanted to about mould. I fogged my house and testing 2 weeks later showed lots of horrible moulds. There are some mould groups on fb where I've seen mention of Pure Maintenance and reviews were mixed. The impression I get is at best, fogging is a sticking plaster. Pure Maintenance only do fogging iirc, so that's all they talk about. To the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail.

The thing to do is find and remove all mouldy materials, and you have to do that under containment and negative pressure to avoid spread. And fix leaks, keep humidity down and allow ventilation.

Can you move the baby to another room? BTW sorry to tell you this, but if that's a toxic mould (not all are but it's important to find out via testing) then you need to look at how to clean things that have been exposed to it, such as the things in that room particularly. There are guides online for that sort of thing but it's all a lot to take in. Best find what you're dealing with first. If you do move the baby to another room, don't move the stuff as well until you know how bad a mould it is. So maybe test first?

And yes, Mould Lab are great from what I've heard, and Action Dry are too. I think both would give you some advice over the phone without you having to commit to anything.

Hello! I would wipe white distilled vinegar on the mould with cotton wool balls twice a day for a week. Vinegar kills mould. It won’t remove the black stain though so then paint over with mould resistant paint. It’ll smell like a chippy for a week but it’s no so bad if it works!

@comeondover Thanks for your help. I just hate that my baby is in the room and we don’t have another room for her, my other 2 children occupy the other 2 rooms and it wouldn’t be practical for them to share with a baby.

Spoke to action dry and they said I can remove it myself, with some proper stuff, but my concern is if I spread mycotoxins everywhere and make things worse. I don’t know whether to just leave it alone, or move in to the living room with the baby?

Is there a more cost effective way to check what mould it is? It seems so expensive!

@Northby I’m just concerned about disturbing it and spreading myoctoxins?

Only you can determine what risks you’re willing to take.

It’s comforting that the professionals think it’s an area you’re able to tackle yourself.

Fungal spores are everywhere all the time - they grow into mould in the right conditions (think of when you leave bread too long!). You have dealt with the underlying cause, now IMO you need to treat the symptom. Wipe it away and keep your baby out while you’re treating it, and open windows etc so the air is freshened.

I’m only speaking from my experience dealing with condensation/humidity mould.

edit to add to wear PPE - mask and gloves!

@Northby Thank you, I appreciate it. You’re right in that we’ve dealt with the cause and I suppose we now need to deal with what’s been left behind.

Did you manage to get yours sorted and did you have baby/children in the house?

@VillageFete I found a cheaper tape lift test

Personally id move the baby out of the room for a week while treating.

1. Clean mould with fungicidal wash (you can buy this from B&Q)
2. Once dry, repaint area with Dulux easy care paint, choose a colour that comes with mould resistance. I used ‘rock salt’.
3. Get a humidity reader, keep the room around 50-60% humidity so it’s not a mould friendly environment.
4. To keep the humidity right, use a balance of opening the windows daily for ventilation* and using a dehumidifier. I use the the meaco dehumidifier. It is very quiet and it checks the humidity throughout the day and will only run if it needs to bring the humidity down.
5. *If you have extra money to spend, you could go one step further and get a carbon dioxide monitor (Aranet4 is the best brand) and as long as you keep the room under 1400 level you will know it is sufficiently ventilated.

If you follow these steps, I am highly confident you won’t get the mould back.

@Imperrysmum Thank you. My concern is if I clean it myself with fungicidal wash that I’ll release mycotoxins making things so much worse in the room?

Hi,
I was wondering did you get to the bottom of your mould issue? If so, please share what steps you took. I suspect a potential issue following a leak in my toilet. TIA