ᐅ Built-in cabinets partially on exterior wall – risk of mold?
Created on: 30 Jan 2025 20:39
J
Jschm88
Hello everyone,
We have been living in our new house since October 2024. The shell and roof were completed at the end of 2023, interior plastering was done in March 2024, and the screed was laid in April. So the house wasn’t built extremely quickly, and it’s quite dry; I have a hygrometer in every room, showing around 40 percent humidity. Of course, it’s winter, and all rooms are heated to 21-22 degrees Celsius (70-72°F) with underfloor heating. Each room is also mechanically ventilated.
About the problem: At the time, we thought built-in wardrobes were a good idea, so we installed quite a few. They look great, but one wardrobe worries me especially. Back then, we weren’t aware of mold issues at all, and even the carpenter still doesn’t think it’s a concern. But in our dressing room, there is a wardrobe fitted flush with the ceiling, floor, and both sides—completely sealed. The back and one side panel of the wardrobe face interior walls, but one short side panel faces an exterior wall. And that’s where you often hear about problems! By the way, our exterior wall has a U-value of 0.25.
So, out of concern, I drilled a hole in the very thick back panel of the wardrobe, and here comes the next shock: between the wardrobe and the (interior) wall, there is maybe only 2cm (1 inch) of space. Since the wardrobe has a side panel covering the exterior wall side, I suspect there is more room there—maybe 5cm (2 inches)—but I can’t say for sure.
I bought a hygrometer with a probe and inserted it through the hole in the wardrobe to reach behind the back panel, almost down to the floor. I’m currently measuring 21 degrees Celsius (70°F) and 58 percent humidity there. In the room itself, it’s also 21 degrees Celsius but only 40 percent humidity. Where does this difference come from? Residual moisture in the wall? Before moving in, I measured all the walls, and they were dry (of course, those moisture meters only penetrate about 4cm (1.5 inches) deep).
Do these values already indicate cause for concern? Or is it warm enough behind the wardrobe, considering there is underfloor heating everywhere? Will it get worse in summer? What should I do now? Drill more holes? Leave it as is and occasionally “smell” (as silly as that sounds)? So far, I can’t hear, see, or smell anything!
I’m close to having the wardrobe completely removed and cut apart so it can be reinstalled with more space from the wall. Is that necessary?
I’d appreciate your advice!
We have been living in our new house since October 2024. The shell and roof were completed at the end of 2023, interior plastering was done in March 2024, and the screed was laid in April. So the house wasn’t built extremely quickly, and it’s quite dry; I have a hygrometer in every room, showing around 40 percent humidity. Of course, it’s winter, and all rooms are heated to 21-22 degrees Celsius (70-72°F) with underfloor heating. Each room is also mechanically ventilated.
About the problem: At the time, we thought built-in wardrobes were a good idea, so we installed quite a few. They look great, but one wardrobe worries me especially. Back then, we weren’t aware of mold issues at all, and even the carpenter still doesn’t think it’s a concern. But in our dressing room, there is a wardrobe fitted flush with the ceiling, floor, and both sides—completely sealed. The back and one side panel of the wardrobe face interior walls, but one short side panel faces an exterior wall. And that’s where you often hear about problems! By the way, our exterior wall has a U-value of 0.25.
So, out of concern, I drilled a hole in the very thick back panel of the wardrobe, and here comes the next shock: between the wardrobe and the (interior) wall, there is maybe only 2cm (1 inch) of space. Since the wardrobe has a side panel covering the exterior wall side, I suspect there is more room there—maybe 5cm (2 inches)—but I can’t say for sure.
I bought a hygrometer with a probe and inserted it through the hole in the wardrobe to reach behind the back panel, almost down to the floor. I’m currently measuring 21 degrees Celsius (70°F) and 58 percent humidity there. In the room itself, it’s also 21 degrees Celsius but only 40 percent humidity. Where does this difference come from? Residual moisture in the wall? Before moving in, I measured all the walls, and they were dry (of course, those moisture meters only penetrate about 4cm (1.5 inches) deep).
Do these values already indicate cause for concern? Or is it warm enough behind the wardrobe, considering there is underfloor heating everywhere? Will it get worse in summer? What should I do now? Drill more holes? Leave it as is and occasionally “smell” (as silly as that sounds)? So far, I can’t hear, see, or smell anything!
I’m close to having the wardrobe completely removed and cut apart so it can be reinstalled with more space from the wall. Is that necessary?
I’d appreciate your advice!
N
nordanney31 Jan 2025 11:32Jschm88 schrieb:
The sensor is now located behind the back of the cabinet, which is adjacent to an interior wall. However, I don’t think the measured values will be significantly different about 30cm (12 inches) further to the left, closer to the exterior wall, right?I just measured with an IR thermometer at my place. There is a 0.5°C (0.9°F) difference between the exterior wall and the interior wall. So, almost the same temperatures (it’s a newly built house with appropriate insulation).