ᐅ Retrofitting Insulation in a Condominium with Mold-Prone Areas
Created on: 19 Dec 2020 14:39
D
DaSch17
Hello everyone,
I actually registered here to gather valuable information for our new construction project and to exchange ideas with other homeowners.
Today, however, I have a different question concerning our owner-occupied condominium.
We moved in in April 2018 and are now experiencing our second winter in this apartment.
Already last winter, we dealt with a mold problem at the external wall corners (where the two exterior walls meet) in the bedroom (a typical structural thermal bridge). We had a building expert specialized in mold damage inspect the issue. He could not detect any structural defects or elevated moisture levels.
The problem, however, is the location of the bedroom within the apartment. The kitchen and master bathroom are directly adjacent and each connected to the bedroom by a door (see floor plan).
The master bathroom also has a window that is too small (because the bathroom was enlarged later). As a result, some of the moisture from the warmest room (bathroom) tends to move into the coldest room (bedroom).
The conclusion: ventilate more and pay even more attention to humidity levels. We did just that and ensured that the indoor humidity never remained above 55%.
The mold from 2019 was then professionally removed.
Additionally, in October 2020, we installed a bathroom extractor fan to vent excess moisture outside.
We thought that these measures had solved the problem.
But today, we discovered mold again in this corner (see pictures).
Lower external corner:
Upper external corner:
Now to my question: Do you have any ideas on how to fix the cause and keep this corner permanently mold-free with minimal structural effort?
We suspect it might also be related to the wall treatment: before moving in, we removed the textured wallpaper, applied a primer, and then a mineral-based paint plaster. Unfortunately, we then painted over this with standard paint (Alpine White).
Our idea is therefore:
1. Replaster all walls and the ceiling with an interior thermal insulating plaster
2. Cover with a non-woven painting fleece
3. Paint with lime-based, silicate, or mold-resistant paint
We would like to avoid installing silicate insulation boards if possible due to effort and cost!
Thanks for reading and for your help!
I actually registered here to gather valuable information for our new construction project and to exchange ideas with other homeowners.
Today, however, I have a different question concerning our owner-occupied condominium.
We moved in in April 2018 and are now experiencing our second winter in this apartment.
Already last winter, we dealt with a mold problem at the external wall corners (where the two exterior walls meet) in the bedroom (a typical structural thermal bridge). We had a building expert specialized in mold damage inspect the issue. He could not detect any structural defects or elevated moisture levels.
The problem, however, is the location of the bedroom within the apartment. The kitchen and master bathroom are directly adjacent and each connected to the bedroom by a door (see floor plan).
The master bathroom also has a window that is too small (because the bathroom was enlarged later). As a result, some of the moisture from the warmest room (bathroom) tends to move into the coldest room (bedroom).
The conclusion: ventilate more and pay even more attention to humidity levels. We did just that and ensured that the indoor humidity never remained above 55%.
The mold from 2019 was then professionally removed.
Additionally, in October 2020, we installed a bathroom extractor fan to vent excess moisture outside.
We thought that these measures had solved the problem.
But today, we discovered mold again in this corner (see pictures).
Lower external corner:
Upper external corner:
Now to my question: Do you have any ideas on how to fix the cause and keep this corner permanently mold-free with minimal structural effort?
We suspect it might also be related to the wall treatment: before moving in, we removed the textured wallpaper, applied a primer, and then a mineral-based paint plaster. Unfortunately, we then painted over this with standard paint (Alpine White).
Our idea is therefore:
1. Replaster all walls and the ceiling with an interior thermal insulating plaster
2. Cover with a non-woven painting fleece
3. Paint with lime-based, silicate, or mold-resistant paint
We would like to avoid installing silicate insulation boards if possible due to effort and cost!
Thanks for reading and for your help!
Yes, it is a fixed price. Overall, I think it’s actually quite fair. Especially in the area of renovations, sometimes ridiculously high amounts are charged.
@Tolentino Yes, that’s really tough. On average, the guys take home about 20 EUR gross per hour...
Maybe a small tip in case someone has a similar problem and finds this thread through search at some point:
Moving the heating system is easier (and cheaper) than I initially thought... I found an offset fitting or S-connector online that allows the radiator to be shifted 3cm (1.2 inches) inward without making additional holes in the floorboards or screed.
@Tolentino Yes, that’s really tough. On average, the guys take home about 20 EUR gross per hour...
Maybe a small tip in case someone has a similar problem and finds this thread through search at some point:
Moving the heating system is easier (and cheaper) than I initially thought... I found an offset fitting or S-connector online that allows the radiator to be shifted 3cm (1.2 inches) inward without making additional holes in the floorboards or screed.