Mould appearing on things touching an outside wall?

[tret]

Hi,
We have recently noticed that certain things which are placed near one wall which is an outside wall in our spare bedroom seems to be developing small amounts of green mold on them. We first found it on a wicker hand bag, now a wicker basket which was in a wall mounted cupboard we have recently had fitted to this wall. We have just removed and discarded a bed which was against this particular wall and we noticed a strong musty smell in the room which seem to have now cleared.
We have never in 5 years noticed any damp spots or patches on the wall! We are just a little concerned as the room will shortly be a nursery and baby cloths placed in the cupboard? Do you think cavity wall insulation will help? also can you suggest and material to place at the back of the wall cupboard to prevent mold getting through? any suggestions or help much appreciated.
House is approx 20 years old.

 

[Richard C]

Is the problem recent? Have you checked things like the guttering, down pipes, roof tiles for any sign of damage/leaks? Is the room left closed up for long periods? Does the room normally have any background heating or ventilation? Do you have good heating & ventilation in the rest of the property, laundry rooms/facilities, bathrooms etc.

Mould does thrive in damp but it can often be caused by internal condensation on a cold exterior wall rather than damp penetration through the wall. Cavity insulation won’t necessarily stop either, can be of dubious value & in some cases, if not done correctly, can cause more problems than it solves.