The record rainfalls we’ve experienced have caused many homes to feel and smell damp and even suffer from mould.
Mould is unsightly, releases a lingering odour and, most importantly, is unhealthy.
Luckily, it’s not a giant headache to put right. A combination of dampness creeping into your home and insufficient ventilation causes most mould problems.
It’s usually most apparent on walls just above the skirting boards. If you’ve suffered a leaking roof during these recent rains, you’ll likely see mould around the cornices of your ceilings.
Mould doesn’t need record rainfalls to thrive. It’s a pesky problem in bathrooms, the laundry and under the kitchen sink – anywhere water or moisture circulate without airflow.
If you’re preparing your home for sale, mould is the last thing you need.
It gets underneath wall paint quickly, causing large areas to bubble and flake away. Wallpapers will decompose if you leave the issue unresolved.
Excellent anti-mould sprays are available at hardware stores and supermarkets, but most only clean the problem.
As an experienced local agency, we’ve worked with many clients who’ve successfully dealt with the mould challenge.
Below, we’ve listed the basic steps to resolve the problem to ensure your home looks and smells fantastic when the time comes to sell.
Off the wall
You need to do some foundational work. Wipe the mould from the wall, and scrape away any flakey paint. Then, brush down the wall to ensure no particles are left to stick to the fresh paint.
Spray, not pray
Purchase a quality anti-mould solution or make your own, using two parts bleach to 10 parts water. Watch out for any splash-back because the bleach will ruin your clothes.
Satin solution
Once the anti-mould solution is dry, it’s time to paint. Use a satin paint, as this style is more resistant to future moisture. If the problem persists, you’ll find that moisture cannot penetrate the wall with satin paint. However if you’ve used a matt paint previously, you may need to repaint the entire wall to ensure colour consistency.
And that’s all there is to it! To help reduce further mould attacks, you can also purchase dehumidifier packs that may assist in removing some of the moisture from the air.