Jungle Property Blog

Mould problems are prevalent in UK rented accommodation as our weather conditions are an ideal breeding ground for mould spores and fungi.
Excess mould can not only ruin your clothes and furniture but it can cause severe respiratory problems, allergies and asthma as well.

The following guide has been written by Mould Expert Marcel Springorum of ByMould.com and will present the solutions for tackling mould.

Measure RH
It is our belief that when tenants move into a new property they should measure the relative humidity level (RH) with a hygrometer. Initial RH measurement will alert the tenant to possible mould problems in the future.

Tenants should measure the RH for each room as ventilation for each may be quite different. This holds especially true for multi-level properties.

Wardrobes
Solutions for wardrobe damp are low cost but very effective.
Moisture Absorbers with little hangers are ideal as they reside alongside your clothes. Make sure to remove the absorbers before the bags get too full of water, fall down and spill water. Larger moisture absorbers can be placed in the bottom, or even on top, of the wardrobe. Of course moisture absorbers can also be placed in other small areas such as cupboards, underneath stairs and utility areas. Once used most moisture absorbers need to be replaced or depending on the type new absorption tablets need to be bought.

Mould on Bath and Tile Grout
HG Mould Spray is a great product for removing black mould from wall tile grout and the silicone that lines your bath. Simply spray, wait and wipe with a damp cloth and the mould is gone. HG Mould Spray is also formulated to keep mould away for longer than other products.

Single Rooms
Single rooms, or areas smaller than 5 metres squared, are best serviced by an electrical dehumidifier. Brands such as Airpro Mini and Dihl are popular and come with a 9 volt adaptor for power. Single room dehumidifiers typically extract 250ml of moisture per day and feature a 500ml water tank. This exemplifies the type of area that they are suitable for.

Larger Areas
Larger areas are best serviced by a full size domestic dehumidifier.
There are two main types of dehumidifier; desiccant and compressor.
Desiccant dehumidifiers are ideal for UK temperatures as they not only operate at lower temperatures than compressor dehumidifiers but they are cheaper to run at these temperatures as well. Without any compressor parts desiccant dehumidifiers are also quieter and lighter than compressor models. The downside is that desiccant dehumidifiers cost more to purchase than their compressor counterparts.

Best Dehumidifiers

Best ‘Budget’ Dehumidifier
Without doubt the best budget dehumidifier is the Prem-I-Air ‘Xtreem10’.
Featuring a 10 litre daily extraction rate and a 1.5 litre water tank the ’Xtreem10’ has many features of more expensive dehumidifiers such as a continuous drainage function. The ‘Xtreem10’ is a compressor dehumidifier thus will be louder and heavier than a desiccant model

Best Desiccant Dehumidifier
The best desiccant dehumidifier is the EcoAir DD122MK5 as it not only contains all the features of the very popular EcoAir Eco DD122FW but it contains several very significant improvements. First of all the EcoAir DD122MK5 contains a 3D louvre which allows the user to direct airflow into certain areas. This makes the DD122MK5 ideal for drying clothes indoors. The DD122MK5 also features an anti-bacterial filter and ioniser which provides a cleaner air which is beneficial for those who suffer from allergy and asthma.

For more information visit ByeMould.com

First some definitions..

A drain is a pipe that carries waste water away from a building.

A lateral drain is the part of a drain which lies outside the property boundary, and in some cases, can be located under someone else’s land or a road. Your sewerage company is responsible for maintaining lateral drains.

A sewer is a pipe that carries waste water from more than one property. Most sewers are publicly owned and are maintained by your sewerage company.

Private Drains

Under S11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 the landlord must keep in repair the structure and exteriors of the dwelling, including drains gutters and external pipes. ‘Keep in repair’ means that the landlord must keep up the standard of repair from the start of the tenancy. This provision is implied into all tenancies entered into after 24 October 1961 and imposes an obligation on landlords to effect basic repairs, which is absolute. Section 11 cannot be excluded from any residential tenancy and a landlord cannot negotiate with the tenant that section 11 will not apply to the tenancy.

Defects in Design or Construction

Defects in design or construction will not be actionable under s11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, as the property will not be in disrepair.

Tenant’s Repairing Obligations

Warren vs Keen was an important case in defining tenants repairing obligations. In this judgement, Lord Denning LJ stated:

“What does ‘to use the premises in a tenant-like manner’ mean? The tenant must take proper care of the place. He must, if he is going away for the winter, turn off the water and empty the boiler. He must clean the chimneys, when necessary and also the windows. He must mend the electric light when it fuses. He must unstop the sink when it is blocked by his waste. In short, he must do those little jobs about the place, which a reasonable tenant would do. In addition, he must, of course, not damage the house wilfully or negligently; and he must see that his family and guests do not damage it; and if they do, he must repair it. But apart from such things, if the house falls out of repair owing to fair wear and tear, lapse of time or for any reason not caused by him, then he will not be liable to repair it.”

It is widely held that a pipe which is blocked is out of repair, although the tenant would normally be responsible for keeping the drains, pipes, gutters and channels in or about the property clear and not to cause blockage to any sink, basin, toilet or waste pipe which serves such fixtures. Additionally the tenant is normally responsible for unblocking the drains from all buildings that form part of your property (known as a private drain) that become blocked by the tenant’s waste.

Candles mark special occasions and create a special atmosphere. They also bring fire and chemicals into the home so their use needs to be carefully considered. At a time when candles are more popular than the days when Thomas Edison was burning the midnight oil inventing the light bulb it is common for tenancy agreements to have ‘no candles’ clauses. Why should this be so? Key reasons why burning candles in the home may not be a good idea:

1. Risk of fire
2. Damage to decoration
3. Air pollution

Looking at each of these in turn..

Fire
According to the Fire Service in the year 2000 alone, there were over 2,000 house fires due to candles. As a result, 10 people died and over 900 were injured. As the sales of candles grows, this trend is unfortunately set to continue. In our own area there have been a number of recent fires involving candles and tea lights – thankfully some were only minor but in one fire the house was completely destroyed after a candle set light to the curtains. Candle safety advice can be found here: http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/candles

Damage
Black soot is the product of the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels. Until recently, the source of black soot in homes was unknown but recent research suggests that frequent candle burning is one of the sources. Complete combustion results in a blue flame, and would produce negligible amounts of soot and carbon monoxide. The amount of soot produced can vary greatly from candle to candle. One type of candle can produce as much as 100 times more soot than another type. The type of soot may also vary; though primarily composed of elemental carbon, candle soot may include phthalates, lead, and volatiles such as benzene and toluene.

Black Soot Deposition (BSD) is also referred to as ghosting, carbon tracking, carbon tracing, and dirty house syndrome. Complaints of BSD have risen significantly in recent years and have been the subject of libel cases in the USA.
Scented candles are a major cause of BSD. Most candle wax paraffins are saturated hydrocarbons that are solid at room temperature. Most fragrance oils are unsaturated hydrocarbons and are liquid at room temperature. The lower the carbon-to-hydrogen ratio, the less soot is produced by the flame. Therefore, waxes that have more fragrances in them produce more soot. In other words, candles labelled “super scented” and those that are soft to the touch are more likely to generate soot.

The situation in which a candle is burned can also impact its sooting potential. A small and stable flame has a lower emission rate than a larger flickering flame with visible black particle emissions. A forced air flow around the flame can also cause sporadic sooting behaviour. Thus, candles in glass containers produce more soot because the container causes unsteady air flow and disturbs the flame shape. Candles that are extinguished by oxygen deprivation, or blowing out the candle, produce more soot than those extinguished by cutting off the tip of the wick. Cutting the wick eliminates the emissions produced by a smouldering candle.

When soot builds up in air, it eventually deposits onto surfaces due to one of four factors. First, the particle may randomly collide with a surface. Second, soot particles can be circulated by passing through home air-conditioning filters. Third, soot can gain enough mass to become subject to gravity. Finally, the particles are attracted to electrically charged surfaces such as freezers, vertical plastic blinds, television sets, and computers. Homes suffering from BSD commonly have stained carpets particularly where the carpet meets the walls and under doors and shadows (ghosting) where walls meet ceilings.
In one of the worst examples we have seen, a tenant moved into a brand new property locally. The tenant loved burning aromatic candles – a well-known brand available in all supermarkets. After 6 months all surfaces in the property including walls, ceilings and cupboards were coated in a greasy grey layer of soot. As many of the surfaces were semi-porous, the entire property had to be deep cleaned and re-painted – the ghosting on the carpets remains!
Heat and hot wax from candles can also cause damage. In one property we observed a smouldering tea light which had melted the plastic holder beneath and had welded to and scorched the furniture beneath (which was not the tenants!).

Air Pollution
When candles are burned, they emit trace amounts of organic chemicals, including acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrolein and naphthalene. However, the primary constituent of health concern in candle emissions is lead. Metal was originally put in wicks to keep the wick standing straight when the surrounding wax begins to melt. The metal prevents the wick from falling over and extinguishing itself as soon as the wax fails to support it. Although lead wicks in candles were banned in the UK in 2003 there may still be lead wick candles on the market. Consider also the airborne candle soot which is subject to inhalation. The particles can potentially penetrate the deepest areas of the lungs, the lower respiratory tract and alveoli.

Further Reading: http://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/P1009BZL.pdf
The odd birthday candle is going to carry little risk of fire, damage or air pollution but you may want to consider the long-term effects of burning candles in your home.