COPD and Mould

[raypowers]

Hi i am Ray, nice to meet you all. just been told i have COPD.

And live in a Council House with black Mould,

[starveycat]

As it is a council house will they help? We live in a bungalow and have condensation we bought a dehumidifier which is brill. It is easy to remove the black mould before we bought the dehumidifier I washed it of with a bleach solution

[raypowers in reply to starveycat]

Been trying to get them to sort it for over 2 years now,had about 12 inspections 2 promises of boarding and sealing wall. but just want to move out now.

environmental health not interested in coming to help.

[Hidden in reply to raypowers]

Good afternoon Ray, and welcome to the Forum.

I agree with starveycat. I had black mould in hall, front room and bathroom, I used a mild bleach solution as soon as I saw it and it kept it under control, but the best thing I ever did was to buy a dehumidifier - well worth the outlay. Have you taken advice from your Council/Environmental Dept? Drying clothes in the house is a bad idea by the way - that is where I went wrong in the first place. I only had myself to blame.

All the best.

[raypowers in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jennifer, its been confirmed by the Council that the problem is my outside wall is single skin and its very cold so when i heat my house it causes moisture and mould.

Environmental Health are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. phoned them twice never ever come to see me.

[Hidden in reply to raypowers]

Then you have to act and get something done. It must be freezing just now, and your chest complaint will certainly not benefit. Fine answer by Carole, and if you don't push for it nothing will get done. A single skin wall - that is shocking in a Council property.

[Hidden in reply to raypowers]

Have you mentioned this to your gp and copd nurse perhaps they can write letters to the council and it may make a difference. IMO boarding and sealing is not the answer it will only re-appear in a year or so. They really need to get to the cause of the problem even if it is removing the plaster and looking at the foundations. Either way if you have copd then you should be given priority in a move.

[northernlass in reply to starveycat]

I kept getting damp, (think it was following cavity wall insulation, since removed) and had a damp specialist do a report and he said the worst thing to do is wash it off with bleach, which I had repeatedly been doing. I wish I could remember the reasons for why bleach makes it worse but I researched and bought W.A.M from the internet and was great but think it was just concentrated lemon juice?Anyway, I now use white vinegar at the first sight of mould and it’s very good. (I also use it to clean with and recently bought a new ‘used’ car which, despite me telling dealership not to use chemicals when valeting, it STUNK of them and was affecting my chest, I went out with trusty white vinegar spray and the next day was clear!). Bloomin marvellous stuff!

[sassy59]

Welcome raypowers, the black mould has to go and the council needs to get itself into gear to help. Keep on and get your MP involved if you can. Good luck. Xxxx

[Magpuss]

Wonder if a letter from your doctor might help?

[raypowers in reply to Magpuss]

hi all i have had 2 letters from the Doctors one a year ago and another 2 months ago telling the council i need to be moved out. also i sent a email to my MP who said he would contact head of the council, but i am still here. they wont move me out because i need to be living in the house for 5 years.

[Magpuss in reply to raypowers]

If I were you I think I'd find out where and when your local MP holds his surgery and then pay him a visit. Sometimes face to face meetings gets things moving more quickly. In the meantime perhaps you could try asking the council if they can provide you with the loan of a dehumidifier until they can get the work done. By the way, my house is also 'single skin' and it's detached but there's no mould anywhere. I get condensation on the windows - and high energy bills ☹️ but no mould, mind you it's also very draughty so maybe that, and the open fireplaces make a difference.

[James48 in reply to raypowers]

Hi Ray, you could call the local paper and get them to shame the Council into moving you.

[raypowers in reply to James48]

Hi James, i am waiting to hear about my appeal on the 5 year crap.

But that will be my next step to talk to the local paper

[James48 in reply to raypowers]

go for it Ray and good luck!

[MrsGLBJ in reply to James48]

Sometimes we have to do what we NEED TO DO to get the job done. Often times, where I live the news cameras go on the scene of some wrong doings & changes for the good take place. I'll be praying for you, because mold can be very dangerous.

[starveycat]

So very sorry to hear that the council will not help, but I do think a dehumidifier will help, I know they can be expensive but your health is very important. Good luck

[onamission]

Mold is so bad for anyone with a lung condition I would go and see your GP ask if he can talk to the council you do need to be careful with mold

[Hidden]

If it is a council houes and it is only a single skin wall then they have to do somthing about it a s p you will have to put it in writeing to them and make it out to who ever is the head boss there that you are giving them 1 month to sort it out . you should get a reply of him if nothing happens take photos of the wall and send them to him and ask him is he willing to live in a houes like this you got to give him a nother 4weeks and if they do not do anytink get two builder to give you a quort and send them to him telling him that you will get one of them if they do not do anything and have the bill sent to them

[knitter]

I hope you can get the council to do something...what a worry.

I know we had black mould in our bathroom on the ceiling as there isn't enough room for an extractor fan ....every time it was wiped away it came back.

I got some anti mould paint and that did the trick, plus opening the window a bit. But the fumes from the paint meant someone else had to apply the stuff....in the summer ...with all windows open..

That would be no good for you though as you need a proper remedy or rehousing.

Best of luck.

[Carnival567]

Try writing to your local paper. Councils don't like adverse publicity!

[katieoxo60]

Hi Ray, welcome , there are several solutions to this problem but the main one is to pursue the council as landlords they have a duty of care to their tenant. I had this problem in my kitchen , I bought a tin of special paint which seems to work, it was round the sink on an outside wall with no tiles on. I am a home owner so have to sort myself. All the ideas here are good. And mouldy walls are not good for lung conditions, local MPs will sometimes follow up your case if you take up a complaint, good luck and hope it is resolved quickly. Chat again soon

[Jaynair]

You've had lots of good advice and I can't add anything to it so I'll just say 'welcome to the group Ray, hope you manage to get sorted soon' x

[Shaurene]

Hi Ray

I am from New Zealand we have lot of problems with mould. The mould is alive and you really need to get rid of it. We have been runner Ng a business since 1988 we import and distribut Dehumidifiers to retail chains. You have to get rid of the moisture keep the RH (relative humidity) well down to around 30-40% the mould feeds off the moisture. You will also have bed bugs, very small and live off your skin peelings especially in your bed. You skin food stays soft with the moisture and easy for them to eat. If you get rid of the moisture the skin goes hard and the bugs do not have teeth so they cannot eat the skin and starve and die,

Get a dehumidifier. At least a 12-16lt model. Keep the room warm where you use it as it will take out more water. If your room is less than 16c the dehumidifier will start freezing up to keep the temp around 20c plus. The low humidity will also kill the mould/fungus. It also drifts in the air and very bad for your lungs.

Ken

[Shaurene]

Hi Ray

This is Ken again. You can tell the amount of moisture in your house when you start getting water running down you inside Windows. With the windows they get the cold air hitting the outside face window and the moisture floats around the room, when it touches the cold window it turns the moisture into its water state the moist air is warm and floats, when it hits the cold window it cools the humidity mist and makes it heavy and then it turns the mist into solid water because when the mist cools it is to heavy to float around.

[MrsGLBJ in reply to Shaurene]

Thanks, Shaurene!

[tomhatha]

Hi , If it's a council dwelling they have to get rid of it. They will say that its because you don't have windows open (only partly true) if you have furniture close to walls that will cause mould.

Do NOT try to remove it yourself because it will get on your lungs and cause all sorts. the council have an obligation to stop it. try again and if they refuse contact the ombudsman and it WILL be sorted and the council could receive a hefty fine. It is effecting your quality of life. good luck and DON'T give up

[Traix]

How can I send pics on here