Has Anyone Heard Of ,Condensation Damaging Vertical Blinds

[deb8z]

Hi

Last September one bedroom in my house was finishedskimmed,new skirtings etc etc and decorated.I had new vertical blinds fitted into the bay window,first few days they were fine,after about a week i started to notice a kind of white residue on the black blinds.

Over time,this got worse,it started off on a few of the blinds and after a couple of months it was on every one.

Initially i thought it was faulty fabric,the shop was less than helpful so i contacted the supplier they use, Louvolite,they said they didn't know what it was that was on it until they tested them.

They sent new fabric to the shop and new ones were made,they were fitted last week and again the same thing has started to happen again,white residue appearing.

The guy from the blind shop took one down,wiped it down with a damp cloth and the white residue disappeared but after a few days it came back.

I'm now concerned that it's nothing to do with the fabric and it's condensation as since i took down the heavy curtains in that room and i now just have the blinds,when it's really cold and frosty outside the condenstaion is ridiculous,it just runs down the glass.

I didn't know where to post this query,i just wondered if anybody thinks the condensation could cause the white residue on the blinds?

 

[misterhelpful]

I'm pretty sure that condensation is the most likely cause of the blinds looking the way you describe.

I often come across blinds that have mould on them but it's usually black mould on white blinds. Undoubtedly there will be white mould spores present in these instances but they are not noticeable on a white background. You basically have the reverse of this situation, having black blinds.

To solve the problem you need to eliminate the cause of the condensation. If you can't improve ventilation, you could try a dehumidifier but there are many causes of condensation that can be rectified without one.

There's more info here:

CONDENSATION IN HOUSES

 

[stem]

I've had it the other way around. Black mould on the bottom of the white blinds in the bathroom.

When we moved in to our present house there was only a small towel radiator in the bathroom so it never warmed the room properly. When we used the shower, condensation formed on the window and even on the concrete lintel above where it dripped onto the blinds. Unfortunately the black mould could not be removed completely from blinds, so I replaced the towel rail with a radiator & added an extractor fan. The condensation is no more and the new blinds have been mould free for 5 years.

 

[deb8z]

I asked a question about the new radiator in the same room back in November,still not sorted that either,the room is cold,so i don't suppose that helps with the condensation.

I've read different things about condensation,some say open windows,when i tried that i ended up with mould on the valance sheet when i pulled the mattress out,so opening the window in there made it worse.

Here's the query about the rad i posted

//www.diynot.com/forums/plumbing/radiator-valves-dont-seem-to-be-working.300518/#2193919

 

[misterhelpful]

I don't know a lot about plumbing and so can't argue with the advice given in your other thread, although I can say that all my valves are fitted the same way as yours and work fine.
Did you try the valve on another rad to see if it was faulty?

Have you bled the rad or do you need to bleed it often? Just asking that in case there is a minor leak somewhere which is causing it to only feel warm (although you say it gets hot for a while, so I doubt it). If there is a leak it could be an explanation for excessive moisture which is causing the condensation in the room but I'm clutching at straws now.

 

[zetland76]

Big problem in my 3 bedroom semi. 3 upstairs windows have vertical blinds and they are all getting dark grey mold spots on the lower parts facing the window. In winter, depending on humidity levels, there is usually condensation forming on the windows by first thing in the morning. (I suppose I should leave the central heating on all night?)
I take it there is no way of cleaning off established mold but could I spray the fabric on new blinds with a sealant to make any replacement easy to clean?

Thanks

Mike

 

[deb8z]

On mine,it makes patterns up and down the blinds,it's not just spots which people have mentioned.

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[deb8z]

You can wash vertical blinds Mike,i don't know if you've tried that already.

 

[abodeuk]

Yes condensation can play a prt with molde/residue forming on blinds, especially like as you say with the water running down the window.

One quick and easy way to help stop this problem is to purchase cheap condensation sponge devices, they look like air freshners except you leave them on the window ledge and every week or so, pull them apart and ring out the sponge inside....think B&Q stock them.