Mould: Around half of New Zealand homes have a mould problem. Damp, mouldy homes can make respiratory disease like asthma worse. A healthy home should not have any mould.
Damp & mould - what to look for
Inspect walls, ceilings, flooring (e.g. carpet should not be rotting), window frames and glazing, curtains and blinds for signs of mildew or mould. Note if there is a damp, mouldy smell.
Mould is most likely to be found in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry and is often behind furniture or in wardrobes. The following photos illustrate the kind of mould we don't want to see.
Small specks of mould on tile grout or silicon sealant and on window frames or sills are acceptable in HomeFit as they are hard to avoid. (If you can do clean the mould.)
Mould behind wall paper. This has penetrated the wall lining and would require renovation works to repair.
Mould patterns on ceiling, often where insulation is missing above. Where extensive this may not be cleanable and the ceiling linings may need to be replaced before an insulation top up.
Mould spotting on the back of curtains. If this extensive, the curtains are unlikely to be cleanable and should be replaced.
Spots of mould on tiles and around silicon edges of basins are common and won’t affect a HomeFit rating. However, keep on top of cleaning in these areas.
Mould on single-glazed aluminium window frame. This kind of mould can usually be wiped off so make sure you do this before the HomeFit assessor comes round.
Damp & mould - what to look for
Note if there is a damp, mouldy smell and inspect walls, ceilings, flooring (e.g. carpet should not be rotting), window frames and glazing, curtains and blinds for signs of mildew or mould.
Mould is most likely to be found in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry and can often be found behind furniture or in wardrobes.
Small specks of mould on tile grout or silicon sealant and on window frames or sills are acceptable in HomeFit as they are hard to avoid but do clean the mould if you can.
Why a dry home is important
According to the BRANZ House Condition Survey (2015), nearly half (49%) of the homes inspected had some signs of visible mould. In the same survey, nearly 10% of rental properties had large patches of mould.
Keeping mould at bay can be as simple as opening windows on opposite sides of the home for at least half an hour a day in winter.
If there's mould in a home it means the home is either too cold or too damp, or both.
You can reduce the potential for mould with better insulation, heating, and installing and using kitchen and bathroom fans. Check the outside of the home as well for leaking guttering as this can also let in moisture.
How you manage the home is also important; air the home (open windows on opposite sides of the home) for at least half an hour a day in winter, don't dry washing inside and avoid unflued gas heaters.
Unflued gas heaters like this one release a lot of moisture into the air, potentially causing mould.
It is important to keep on top of even small specks of mould. These can easily be cleaned (see your HomeFit report for a good mould cleaning solution) and prevented through consistent heating and airing.
Damp and mould can damage timber, plasterboard and other building materials. It can have serious health consequences for people with asthma, bronchitis and other breathing disorders. It also encourages the spread of dust mites which can further exacerbate asthma and allergies.