Mould in rented housing in Ireland most often appears in old, poorly insulated houses without ventilation and where the premises are constantly cold and damp. In the case described, a new building with ventilation caused almost no problems, while a converted building without insulation and with heating that didn’t work turned out to be unfit for living. The main lesson from experience: ventilation, keeping the place warm, and quickly treating the first spots.

The worst case: a converted building without insulation

The first home in this case was a converted Italian restaurant, where the landlord rented out rooms. The partitions were built from plasterboard on both sides with almost no insulation, so soundproofing was practically non-existent: everything happening behind the wall could be heard. The building was old and stood alone, with no neighbouring houses, so wind and rain battered it from all sides, and the building itself cooled down heavily. The heating system often switched off, and the place was cold. The mould here was severe: according to the description, when the sofa was moved aside, a blackened base was found behind it. The tenants lived in this place for about two months. Payment was weekly, in cash, handed to the landlord in person every week.

A new building with ventilation: almost no problems

The next home was an apartment on the roof of a shopping centre, which housed more than 25 flats. Over three years of living there, mould was found only once: while rearranging furniture, the wall behind a wardrobe in the corner darkened. According to the author, in relatively new housing with ventilation and ventilation vents, and where airing out is done regularly, there should be no mould problems.

An old house without ventilation: why airing out matters

The current home is a house built in the 1980s. There is no ventilation system or vents. There is only an extractor fan in the kitchen near the stove and one in the toilet. The room has a single window high up that’s hard to reach, and there are no other channels for air exchange. To prevent dampness, the tenants constantly keep the windows open, creating a draught, and constantly heat the house, since there is a young child in the family. So far there is no mould in this house.

What to do if mould has already appeared

The main principle from this experience: don’t let it go unchecked. If a spot is noticed right away, it should be treated with a good product and ventilation should continue. Without heating, a room constantly stays cool and damp, which is a direct condition for black mould to spread in houses and flats. That’s why housing needs to be heated constantly, and aired out regularly.