Absolutely, and I'm not more afraid of mold than crossing the street, but your post above implied that there wouldn't be any mold growth if you just left it alone, which is wrong. We have mold everywhere in our homes, for example, in flower pots that are full of various spores.Stefan1972 said:
There are no direct research results showing that mold is dangerous, but there are more practical studies suggesting that many can be sensitive to it. Then there are absolute facts showing that cases of illnesses such as asthma and the like increase in direct proportion with the air exchange in the house. Poor air exchange is often associated with high humidity indoors and thereby increased risks for mold growth.
Member
· Västernorrland
· 12 010 posts
Well, you can't really say that it molds if you're not doing it by the book either. In that case, everything could mold regardless of repairs.
It's probably just as likely that it molds in something like sawdust (in this case) as it is in a newly built house constructed according to the regulations. Because that does happen too, even if it's built correctly.
So in the end, everything is just a fart in space anyway. Hence my opinion that wood dries if it doesn't stay wet for a long time. And wood dries for the very reason that there aren't a lot of plastic layers in the way in old houses.
It's probably just as likely that it molds in something like sawdust (in this case) as it is in a newly built house constructed according to the regulations. Because that does happen too, even if it's built correctly.
So in the end, everything is just a fart in space anyway. Hence my opinion that wood dries if it doesn't stay wet for a long time. And wood dries for the very reason that there aren't a lot of plastic layers in the way in old houses.
But the big difference is that here it's an obvious damage. Large amounts of water have leaked into the floor, the sawdust is wet and will therefore mold if you trap the moisture. You can't compare damage in an old house with a normal construction in a new house.Stefan1972 said:
All houses can get damage, even "correctly" built ones.
"Hence my opinion that wood dries if it doesn't remain wet for a long time." - Isn't that obvious? When it stops being wet, it is dry. However, that doesn't mean it dries just because you stop adding water, at least not quickly enough to avoid growth.
The reason old houses don't have airtight outer walls is that ventilation often relies on leaks, and if you seal the walls, you won't have ventilation unless you switch to a fan-controlled system. Another reason is because the walls are poorly insulated and therefore warmer further out, which means moisture added from inside dries out faster.
A modern house doesn't need leaks because they have fan-controlled ventilation or at least exhaust ventilation and vent slots in the walls, and you want to control the amount of ventilation. Since the walls are well insulated, they are cooler and need plastic to prevent condensation of moist air coming from inside.
An old house with passive ventilation has good air circulation in winter, which costs extra heating and then zero ventilation in summer when there is no temperature difference between indoors and outdoors.
Therefore, you can't compare new and old houses and claim it's the plastic's fault that there is damage. The problems often arise when renovating old houses without considering that thermal dynamics conditions are changed.
Member
· Västernorrland
· 12 010 posts
where do you get the idea that you trap moisture? Old houses don't have vapor barriers and if the leakage stops, the insulation dries out on its own due to the normal moisture migration that still exists. I'm not claiming to be a civil engineer, so I haven't seen hundreds of different cases, but I've seen a little anyway, and I've also fixed old leaks in my own house from 1900, and I haven't seen anything strange in the insulation I've moved and worked with at least. The leaks that have lasted a long time have, of course, caused damage, but that's one thing. A radiator line burst one winter, releasing large amounts of water, and yes, in the middle of winter, you don't do anything other than plug and refill, but several years later, the floors were ripped up for other reasons, and there are no traces whatsoever of it having been soaked and no visible traces of mold either.
I have also experienced some water damage. The last time, the neighbor's dishwasher had been leaking for about 10 months. There was black mold in the walls and framework. Drywall becomes more porous, and the paper gets black mold from the moisture (rats and mice can dig their way in more easily). Even studs that get damp and have sufficient warmth can develop black mold. I don't know what kind it is. Remediation companies remove what they can that is affected and damp. Drywall is cut along the floor 30 cm and upwards to where the moisture has reached on the board. Then it needs to dry for 2-5 weeks depending on how damp it has been. When the moisture level has reached the right level, you can rebuild. If you can't access everything that is affected, you can buy products that are sprayed on the mold to prevent further growth. If a company does it, they provide a 5-year warranty. I had to accept that since the framework was for the neighbor's stairs, but I didn't like it.
Sure, you can let the wood chips dry. It's easiest to spread them out, but what does new material cost? The same goes for the drywall. There are 6 mm repair boards that can be placed on walls. Insurance companies usually don't agree to that; instead, they require it to be repaired and plastered. What might be worthwhile is trying to dry the ceiling so you don't have to install a new one or spray with products if you have a tendency for mold on the unseen side. You seem liberal about mold, but not everyone is, and research says otherwise. Also, you have an older house that dries better if you haven't installed plastic barriers. But I stick to just moldy cheese.
Sure, you can let the wood chips dry. It's easiest to spread them out, but what does new material cost? The same goes for the drywall. There are 6 mm repair boards that can be placed on walls. Insurance companies usually don't agree to that; instead, they require it to be repaired and plastered. What might be worthwhile is trying to dry the ceiling so you don't have to install a new one or spray with products if you have a tendency for mold on the unseen side. You seem liberal about mold, but not everyone is, and research says otherwise. Also, you have an older house that dries better if you haven't installed plastic barriers. But I stick to just moldy cheese.
Last edited:
There are different degrees of moisture resistance. If you leave the sawdust between an underlay with plastered joints and a tongue-and-groove plank floor above, it is tighter than if the sawdust were exposed in the room. Tight is not on or off; it is relative.Stefan1972 said:
Member
· Västernorrland
· 12 010 posts
yes, but now it was about the inconvenience to the OP where a little water leaked during a renovation. After all, it is a bit different from a leak that has been going on for a long time. Then it can mold and look generally bad, and I understand that too. I have never claimed that you can fix anything just by letting it dry.