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Mould on newly plastered walls

18 replies

AvaCallanach · 01/05/2022 08:01

My niece/ward had her small house extensively treated for damp, with wall cladding etc to get rid of a chronic issue. House is a small old (1920s maybe?) two up two down bought by other relatives with her inheritance money from her parents. It sits on an underground river (grid outside her front door shows it rushing past below). Completely unsuitable but that's another story.

She stayed with family (not me) during the renovation work and decided to give it ten days after they finished to let it dry out a bit more.

I took her home yesterday and there is mould growing on the new plaster in some areas (other walls seem fine).

I suspect this is because the house was left unvented with no heating and no dehumidifiers running, but she is naturally worrying that the job has failed. Anyone able to advise? Pics attached.

Mould on newly plastered walls
Mould on newly plastered walls
OP posts:
ItsSnowJokes · 01/05/2022 08:08

Heating needs to be on and windows opened! The amount of water in plaster all needs to escape somewhere!

Kerberos · 01/05/2022 08:15

Yep, there's a lot of water and it needed to be ventilated whilst the plaster was drying else the water has nowhere to go. Did the team doing the work not advise how to manage the process?

Worth opening all the windows for a few days and then checking again. All the windows will ensure there's a cross breeze which will help carry dust and moisture out. Once it's dry you can assess what to do next.

Mungojerry69 · 01/05/2022 08:23

What work exactly was done? Can you post a picture of the other side of those walls?

AvaCallanach · 01/05/2022 08:35

I think all the walls have been lined and replastered, like in a basement.

The other side of the splodgy wall was plain plaster and not mouldy.
The other side of the wall by the door is exterior.

I can't share pics as I didn't take any and am not there now.
I have told her to buy a dehumidifier and she ordered one yesterday. Frankly I am surprised the builders didn't leave one running, but she's a vulnerable young woman on her own so easy to take advantage of - which is why I am just double checking that it's a moisture issue not a problem with the actual plaster. There is mould on the cornice and beams too (but I didn't take a pic).

OP posts:
MyHusbandTheIdiot · 01/05/2022 08:38

I would suggest that ventilation and warmth is as/more important so there needs to be windows open and heating on low unless it’s particularly warm. Dehumidifier will remove moisture but won’t bring ‘new’ air in.

SomethigWentBang · 01/05/2022 08:57

This is unfortunate for but you left a soaking wet property unattended with no ventilation for 10 days. Treat the mould and allow the house to breath. Please don't pin this on the trade and play the venerable young woman card. This is a common sense situation.

DrRuthGalloway · 01/05/2022 09:26

SomethigWentBang · 01/05/2022 08:57

This is unfortunate for but you left a soaking wet property unattended with no ventilation for 10 days. Treat the mould and allow the house to breath. Please don't pin this on the trade and play the venerable young woman card. This is a common sense situation.

Charming! She is a vulnerable young woman. Orphaned in her teens and autistic actually.

And "I" didn't leave the house wet with no ventilation. She was staying with other relatives and I had no idea that the work had been completed ten days ago. She thought it would be a good idea to let it dry out; she didn't consult me. And I think she was enjoying her "holiday" with other family.

I am not "pinning it on the trade". I suspected as I said originally that it is just a case of needing ventilation and warming up. She is very anxious about it (being young and vulnerable) and wanted a "second opinion" from people more knowledgeable than me. That's all.

DrRuthGalloway · 01/05/2022 09:27

MyHusbandTheIdiot · 01/05/2022 08:38

I would suggest that ventilation and warmth is as/more important so there needs to be windows open and heating on low unless it’s particularly warm. Dehumidifier will remove moisture but won’t bring ‘new’ air in.

Can't put heating on...rads were removed to access all walls!

Whooshaagh · 01/05/2022 09:31

It will be fine once ventilated. Its a learning curve.

Whooshaagh · 01/05/2022 09:32

Posted too soon.
Clean off mould with appropriate solution and use final coat of emulsion that contains anti mould.

ClaudineClare · 01/05/2022 09:36

A good person to help might be @pigletjohn if he is about.

I think it t would have been reasonable for the contractors to advise what aftercare was needed.

ClaudineClare · 01/05/2022 09:38

@PigletJohn (not sure other @ will work as all lowercase).

PigletJohn · 01/05/2022 21:16

the damp marks look to me like dot and dab plasterboard, transmitting cold to the plaster by conduction from the cold wall through the blobs. Hopefully they are not tranmitting actual damp.

plaster dries out by ventilation not heat. turning heat on will just waste money. ventilation is cheaper than humidifiers. you can place a room fan or desk fan to blow air against the wall, this will speed up evaporation like hanging washing on the line of a windy day. ventilation will then take the water vapour away.

if this is an actual house, open the loft hatch and you will find natural convection drives an air current up through the house, into the loft, and out through the eaves.

water vapour is lighter than air (hence clouds) so it will naturally rise away if you let it.

it will be cold because as water evaporates, it absorbs heat.

when the house is occupied you can open the downstairs windows to encourage airflow, but usually old houses are quite draughty, gaps under the doors, letterboxes, airbricks in the kitchen etc so enough fresh air will enter. Open trickle vents on windows if there are any.

after a week you should see the plaster drying to a pale matt pink. shiny or chocolate patches are wet. Plaster is made of water, so needs drying out.

the windows will get misty or wet overnight until the drying out is finished

Only when it is dry is there any point in using mould killing chemicals and scrubbing clean. The entire world is full of mould spores and they will grow wherever they find warm damp conditions.

DrRuthGalloway · 02/05/2022 08:54

Thanks PigletJohn.
I will tell her. She is feeling a bit bleak about it.

DrRuthGalloway · 03/05/2022 18:50

Update! The walls dried really fast using a fan and are now lovely and pink, and the mould has wiped off. Thanks all esp PigletJohn :)

motogirl · 03/05/2022 18:59

Just a tip, if she's decorating herself, coat the walls before painting, we used a solution of half pva glue and half water, then a coat of cheap white emulsion then paint desired colour

DrRuthGalloway · 03/05/2022 20:14

Ah thanks motogirl. I will pass that on.

PigletJohn · 03/05/2022 23:06

I strongly advise against putting glue on any surface you hope one day to paint.

A few plasterers still do it, but most have been killed by angry decorators.

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