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How to advise your clients on mould
As a trade professional, you’ve most likely encountered mould when working on a residential or social housing project. These dark, unsightly spots and stains can make your work more complicated, and if left untreated, can have serious health implications on building occupants.
In this article, you’ll find recent findings on mould in social housing, the top products to use for mould prevention and ways to advise your clients on mould.
What is mould and why is it harmful?
Mould is a fungal organism, while naturally occurring as microscopic spores we usually can’t usually see, it can grow rapidly where moisture builds up on surfaces.
In large concentrations, mould spores can trigger allergic reactions in humans if inhaled or on contact with the skin. Symptoms of such reactions can include sneezing, runny nose, eye irritation and skin rashes.
The Regulator of Social Housing has estimated that up to 160,000 social homes in England are impacted by damp and mould*. Initial findings show that up to 8,000 families are impacted by very serious damp and mould, which would fall below the Decent Homes Standard*.
With black mould posing a risk to building occupants, it’s crucial that as a trade professional, you’re aware of the most effective ways to deal with mould on walls and ceilings and can offer the right information to your clients.
How to remove mould from walls
If you can see mould in the space you’re working in, you should deal with it immediately and thoroughly.
It’s recommended that you wear appropriate gloves, respiratory protection and eye protection when dealing with mould. You should also open doors and windows to increase ventilation.
Clean it, Seal it, Coat it
To prepare the wall for painting, the surface must first be made good. Mould should be tackled first with a suitable mould killer or fungicidal wash containing “Quarternary Ammonium Compounds” (may be referred to directly Benzalkonium Chloride) or “IPBC”. These chemicals attack the biological function of mould spores.
Depending on the severity of the mould growth, it may be necessary to remove mould from the surface with a sponge or scour pad. Flaking paint should be removed with a scraper. Wallpaper contaminated by mould should be removed and the wall beneath treated with mould killer before any further making good e.g. filling.
Where staining from mould or damp (cause of damp must be addressed) is severe, it is recommended that a stain block coating is used prior to a decorative finish. This will prevent bleed through of water and mould stains as well as promote adhesion of the finish coat.
Finally, a mould resistant decorative finish can be applied, these contain fungicidal additives to inhibit the regrowth of mould preserving the appearance of the redecorated surface.
Top products for mould prevention
Preventing mould from growing in the first place is always better than having to treat it, there are a range of professional antifungal products to help you reduce the risk of black mould coming back.
Disinfection
- Ideal for preparing mould prone areas and protects against re-growth.
- For professional use where entire walls/rooms need to be treated.
Seal coats
- Permanently blocks and seals problem stains caused by water, nicotine, soot, graffiti, grease, wax, and rust.
Dulux Trade Stain Block Primer
- Effective treatment for stains caused by inks, crayon, water, grease and nicotine.
Topcoats
Dulux Trade Fungicidal Mouldshield Matt (Available in colours/white)
- Available in an Eggshell finish where additional durability is required.
Armstead Trade Anti-Mould Vinyl Matt (White/Colours)
- Suitable for all normal interior wall and ceiling surfaces.
More ways to advise clients on mould
When dealing with mould, it’s important that you have the correct training and expertise to tackle the problem, or have the correct contacts who can diagnose the problem promptly and effectively.
Here are some of the ways that the Housing Ombudsman Service, regulators for social housing, recommend you advise your clients on mould:
- Be transparent with your clients from the start of a project. Explain clearly what is being done to remove mould on walls, which products are being used for mould prevention, and that paint solutions alone cannot eradicate mould.
- Make the most of every opportunity to identify and rectify the root cause of the mould in social housing. When working on a new project, keep in mind whether the room is susceptible for mould and suggest how to improve ventilation.
How Dulux Trade Specification can help you
As a Dulux Decorator Centre 360 member, you have access to support at every stage of your project – from specification to after care.
Get advice on the correct preparation and the right products for mould prevention. We can provide a full site report to help you identify tricky surfaces and give your client an idea of maintenance cycles. Our technical representatives can also visit you on site, or at pre-contract meetings, to give you and your client peace of mind.
We also have mould treatment tenants packs available to help treat mould in a property. Contact your Account Manager for more details.
Need help when you’re on the go? Get in touch with our technical team on 0333 222 7070, we’ll support you with any issues over the phone.
For more information on how we can help you, go here.
*https://citymonitor.ai/government/public-health/social-rented-homes-damp-mould-regulator-report