Double glazing and mould

[Nerf]

Dd has just shown me her window and there is mould on the wall above the window and also on the actual window (not the glass). They are new upvc put in about two years ago. Any ideas?

It might not be anything to do with the windows as such, more a condensation/ventilation issue? Is it like small bksck mildewy mould?

Yes, that's it. All along the bit between the glass and the plastic, and a couple of spots on the wall above the window. There's also a crack - the fitters made a terrible bodge and had to come back three times for damaging other boys of the house.

mould is caused by damp.

In the UK, the most common cause is draping wet washing around the home, followed by failure to ventilate out the water vapour caused by baths, showers and breathing.

If you open the windows and turn on the bathroom extractor fan, and stop draping water around your home, it will dry out. When it is dry you will not get mould.

Much less often, damp arises from a water leak, for example plumbing or roof.

Thank you. It's the only room, and there is no wet washing upstairs though. When they were fitted, there was a lot of cracks left and I'm suspicious. Is it unlikely to be the new windows?

We had this in the kitchen 12 months after new uPVC windows. Mould is from damp, warmth & dust together. We don't have any cracks in walls & still got mould on the plastic. I washed it off with washing up liquid & hot water, then wiped over with diluted bleach & dried it with an old towel. It hasn't come back, yet. It's a chore but I keep an eye on the windows and if they look a bit dusty/dirty then I clean the frames to try to prevent it. If you're worried about the cracks then get someone in the check/repair. The mould could just be from normal living, e.g. Most people get it somewhere in the bathroom too.

Thank you. I'm going to go get some bleach I think and see if that works.
She is a typical skanky teen - cups left all over, clothes on the floor and door firmly closed.
I'm really hoping that's it, and not anything sinister. Who could I get to look? Builder? Specialist of some kind?

I would clean off and air the roome ery day. (windows open at least mornings and evenings for 10 min as far as they wod open) if mould stays away you know it was just condensation.

Thank you. I've just used diluted bleach and opened the window. She's taken all the cups etc downstairs and I've realised her door is always shut so have undisputed it's slightly open.
Sooo stressed by it - I'm having visions of mould all the way up the wall and not being able to get rid of it.

sounds like skanky teen condensation - may be no washing in there but if she breathes and never opens the window, this is what will happen. Huge heaps of sweaty clothes also won't help.

suggest she mucks out,opens the window and does other normal things. Useful lesson in not wrecking houses.

Thanks special, that's really reassuring. Piles if crap all over the floor in a small room.
I have been really upset, catastrophising and imaging the mould taking over the house.

Its no big deal. Give it a clean and then encourage her to open her window for a bit every day.

Thank you. Have bleached the spots and insisted on the door being slightly open until she actually wants to sleep. The piles of mank have gone, result

many modern windows have trickle vents, that allow a very small amount of air movement which will keep a living room reasonably fresh. Might not be enough for a bedroom though, the windows still need to be opened each morning between throwing back the bedding and leaving the house.

I am dejected that some windows are still being installed with no trickle vents. They can be retro-fitted, it just needs a few holes to be made in the frame in a safe position (avoiding reinforcements or drainage channels) and a simple plastic cover with flyscreen and sliding shutter.

Thank you, my mum asked of we had those - described them didn't know that's what they were called - sadly not. If we get another company to do the next lot this summer I will ask if they do them. Maybe I should get hers replaced?
They'd be obvious wouldn't they?

they aren't very big.

do not 'encourage' her to open the window - tell her to behave like a normal human being which means ventilating accommodation that half of the world would kill for.

and you don't clean it - she does!

her future flatmates will thank you.

Piglet - I've had a look all over but can't find any. They are Britelite so not sure if they do as standard?

Haha, yes, she probably should do it herself but has OCD and the palava of touching anything vaguely germy is not worth it at the moment!

trickle vents

Thank you. Definitely not on them.
Will ask to get them fitted by next lot.
Her room stinks, I'm going to empty it on Friday and clean it all. Black sacks at the ready.