Hi All, I don't live in Spain pall year so maintaining the property is difficult especially after the winter when it has been locked up in the damp weather. Has anyone experienced a white 'fluffy' mould that puffs up the paint (paint looks like meringue!) or just grows in the strangest of places? I have bleached and scrubbed but every year its the same pushing the paint off the walls or growing between tiles in the bathroom. It is always in the same place and I need something to kill it permanently. Thanks in advance

Hola

Around here the problem was caused by using salt water instead of clean water (wells here are quite salty).

However a lot of problems can be caused by condensation caused by lack of ventilation

Davexf

Thanks Dxf. Im sure once we are there for longer periods of time it will be better but its just odd that its in the same place each time - half way up the living room inner wall and also grows in the same spot in the bathroom after much bleaching and scrubbing . A few more years of paying the mortgage and I will be able to spend far more time out there airing the place

I don't think cleaning will solve the problem if it keeps coming up and airing the place might make it worse. If you're airing, avoid doing it during the day and especially if it's hot. Hot air will make it spread even more, so best air during the early morning and late at night. You might want to get an expert in to check what kind of mould it is, as it might be in the walls.

Thanks Moses. Not sure how to go about getting an expert but will change the 'airing'. If it is in the walls, any idea how to get rid of it?

Is it on an open wall or next to a cupboard, window? If it was next to/behind a cupboard, window you could blame it on airing. If it keeps coming back, you need to find the source. It might be wise to take a picture and either put it up here or send to an expert to get an opinion.

That sounds like a rising damp problem. Ground floor room?

Most houses don't have damp proof courses.

That is why the ground floor is a "garage". If ground floor used for accom. then the traditional answer was to taile the lower walls in and out. neatly hides the problem which isn't helped by property being left locked up and draughts cured.

What you could do is have alook outside and see if there is anything obvious. Pile of rubble or soil against an outside wall. leaking or no guttering? Poor drainage or a slope leading to the wall.

Over the years we have tried various solutions. Sand down area, "paint with vinegar", special paint that can "breathe". paint a rubber membrane over area, wallpaper. None have worked.

Hi Moses and olivefarmer, It is ground floor problem but an interior wall that is inside the centre of the house which is at least 2 foot thick and no doubt has no damp course - the house is over 100 years old. the area where the paint is weird and bubbling is shoulder height and vertical. might try the vinegar though? the bathroom is slightly different as its growing out concrete. the concrete is at one end of the bath but the fluffy white mould is not round the edge of the bath. very odd. I will attempt to log on my phone as I have a few pics on there

First pic is the paint bubbling up off the wall, 2nd pic you can see the paint broken and mould is growing behind. 3rd pic is white fluffy growing out of concrete. its grotty as this is on arrival after a few months. obviously it gets scraped off and cleaned each time

Personally I would say it is rising damp ( Not http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Damp )

A photograph of the whole wall would be a help.

Thanks Fredbargate.
Its shoulder height on an inside wall and nothing below it? Though rising damp would be worse at the bottom?

Is it an external wall?

What's behind the wall?

Are there pipes in the wall?


Basically, it's caused by water from somewhere. The usual solution to solve the problem here in Spain is to build another (thin) wall in front so that there is an air gap. Obviously this new wall would need a DPC (damp proof membrane) to stop water rising.


This is a very common problem in older buildings.

This is called Nitre in english and is not unusual in Fincas, old buildings etc.

Ass far as I know it is a reaction (something in the sandcombined with damp)

You get it on floor tiling as well. Airing helps and you have to live with it!!!!

Already been mentioned but lack of ventilation is a massive problem. My house is far from an airtight modern property. First time we left it I closed everything up securely. 2 months later a friend checked on it for us and rang me to say top to bottom 3 stories of staircase all black mould, with mould in various other places. When next over I cleaned all up bleach and water etc. Then re painted . I then knocked an air vent at very top of stairs and leave the very lowest window (protected by bars) tied slightly ajar. I ensure not one interior door is closed so air can circulate throughout. 6 years later never had the same problem. I do get some minor damp issues requiring odd bit of painting downstairs maybe once a year but believe main problem is lack of ventilation.