Mould in cupboards?

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by Flame, Sep 14, 2017.

  1. Flame

    Flame Member

    So i fitted the cheapest kitchen wicks sells into a small, cold kitchen at the back of my house. Condensation is pretty bad due to the size of the kitchen however i keep it well ventilated during and after cooking.

    the issue I'm having is mould has started growing in the cupboards, not immediately but after around 5 months. Now it seems to return in as quick as a week or two, I have washed the inside of cupboards with mould killing bleach ect however it seems to be getting worse and coming back faster. Is this all down to moister sitting in the cupboards or is something else to blame, the cheap units? i don't know why it could be them, maybe the cheap coating holds more moister? All i know is that no mould is forming elsewhere in the kitchen, and i have looked for it.

    does anyone have any solutions to this problem, i don't mind cleaning the cupboards regularly but they seem to smell constantly & the wose i noticed just now was moving the bottom plate of the stack a green ring of mould was around it. this plate cant have been there for that long either, so what's the issue? it's quite disgusting and embarrissing!

    Thanks in advance! :confused::confused::confused:
     
  2. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    Lack of ventilation . Cold walls ect
     
    KIAB likes this.
  3. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    You are probably not going to like what i have to say, but i have to say it. As has been said, cold walls and lack of ventilation is the cause. Ventilation is an easy one to deal with, vents can be core drilled through the walls and extraction can be fitted as well.
    The cold walls though should have been dealt with prior to fitting the kitchen by fitting foam backed insulation board on all the walls. This can still be done but will require the kitchen to be taken out. In the long run you will have to take the kitchen out anyway because the chipboard cupboards are just going to rot away.
    I'd bit the bullet and sort it now if i were you while you still have a kitchen that hasn't rotted away.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  4. As said above, I'm afraid - it's now't to do with the actual units.

    Is this mould forming inside the units or also on their outside backs (can you get to see round them in any way, behind the plinths for example?)

    If the mould is all inside the unit, then these particular units must be pretty cold indeed. What is essentially happening is that the warm moist kitchen air is going inside these cupboards every time you open a unit door, and it cools in there on the coldest surfaces, releasing the moisture. With the unit usually being closed, there is little through ventilation to keep it dry.

    Solutions? Don't open these unit doors during cooking times! Don't put anything back in to the cupboard until it's bone dry. And you might possibly be able to help the matter by drilling a series of vent holes along the unit base right back where the mould is worse - keep them small so's nothing falls through, say 6mm. If your unit backs don't go right up to the very top against the worktop, then you might have a useful vent trickle going through and this might help.

    I have a feeling, tho', that your symptoms are so bad they indicate something a bit worse, like some penetrating or rising damp on the wall behind these units. I really wouldn't expect units to go that seriously mouldy due only to air moisture. It doesn't have to be serious damp on the walls, but what happens is that the presence of the units stops air flow over the wall which may have kept it all dry in the past. Now that the walls are effectively covered from air flow, the damp builds up.

    That's all speculation, of course...

    Ultimate solution is as above - remove the units, check for issues, and then line with the thinnest Thermal Laminate Board - it'll add only around 35mm extra thickness to your walls and will transform their thermal state. You can go thicker if you don't mind losing more room, and that'll help more.
     
  5. Hello,

    Your main problem here is that moisture is present inside your cupboard. Mission number 1 should be to find the source of this moisture.

    Here are some things for you to think about:
    • Do you have single skinned walls in your kitchen? if so then rain water will be able to penetrate through the brick fairly easy, therefore being a source of moisture.
    • Maybe you have a small leak from heating or water pipes. Any leaks behind your units would be a source of moisture.
    • Does mould occur in a kitchen unit below your sink? If you do not have an adequate seal around your sink, then water will be able to drip to the units below.
    • Remember that any water (no matter how small) getting inside your units is likely to create mould, as it becomes trapped due to lack of ventilation.
    • Ventilation within your kitchen can be improved by using a good extractor fan (that vents directly to the outside) over your hob. It is important to have well insulated windows in your kitchen too.
    • You should also ensure other rooms in your house (such as your bathroom) are well ventilated too.
    Once you have located the source of moisture. You can then concentrate on removing the mould. It is very important to ensure all mould is removed with a special spray. This is because mould is a living organism that needs to be killed. I wrote an article on my DIY blog about removal of mould in bathrooms, and recommended a spray. Please visit this link, then goto the subheading 'Bathroom Wall Mould', you will then see the link for the special mould spray.

    I hope this helps, and good luck!
     

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