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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 11:12 am   #21
BRASSBITS
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

I cant work out how its got damp inside the cabinet
damp always forms on the coldest surface
a cabinet with a tv inside generating warmth the outside of the cabinet is the coldest surface which is where the moisture if any should appear
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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 5:05 pm   #22
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Quote:
Originally Posted by dave walsh View Post
Here we are again with a slightly strange question 1970 In these somewhat overheated times, can't you just put it in direct, or perhaps indirect, sunlight? Maybe after the bleach treatment? Drying it out too quickly would certainly be a mistake! We can see that with people who overdo the sunbathing!

Dave W
Hi, yes it is slightly strange but I didn't want to do any further damage to the cabinet, and I have no where to put it, as I live in a flat, so haven't any space to put it in the sun, as the only south facing window has the sofa underneath. I would've put a dehumidifier in the cabinet but wasn't sure.

I also like to make sure first as I don't want to ruin anything and google isn't always the best place to look.

Quote:
is that condensation forming on the TV's metalwork ? Extra ventilation would help.
I would recommend removal of any mouldy items from a bedroom. Perhaps into a well ventilated loft, or even better - out to a garden shed or garage until the mould problem is solved. "Marigolds" would be advisable for the bleach swabbing methods already advised. Preferably outside, or in a well ventilated garage or shed.
If the item is manky beyond redemption, due to someone else's neglect, then dump it.
I don't have either of those 3 things to store it in either, which is a pain. I can ask a family member if I can put it in their shed for the time being.

There doesn't seem to be any condensation on the metal work, that I've seen anyway.


It was damp when I got it, because I opened it up the day I brought it home, and there was the damp and mould already there, so I think it may have been stored in a shed or something else poorly insulated.


Quote:
a cabinet with a tv inside generating warmth the outside of the cabinet is the coldest surface which is where the moisture if any should appear
I don't think the tv has been on for some time and so it was allowed to get damp. The veneer on the outside right above it is fine, so I think it's from the inside.


Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 6:44 pm   #23
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Following on from Rontech comments which do in fact refer to the use of convectional air currents that provide a warm and dry environment there would seem a need to consider prevention and not just a cure.
It is common to fit a anti-condensation heater by way of a strip element or lamp to prevent moisture within a cabinet housing electrical components. I have designed and supplied many a LV, MV & HV switchboard and every single one had a ACH fitted. This in turn are controlled by humidistats fitted within the enclosure.
Don't forget that the enclosure will get warm and expand and draw in moist air (IP rating dependant) with changes in circuit heat loss/gain and its corresponding impact upon air temperature in relation to the external air temperature.
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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 10:52 pm   #24
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

A couple of time I've had to wipe the walls & ceiling of my bathroom with mould remover.

As it is windowless & the fan struggles to remove the steam the walls can end up very damp.
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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 11:45 pm   #25
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

The suggestion to use bleach to get rid of mould inside a cabinet has been made previously on the Forum. Personally, I think that bleach is a source of chloride ions and they are at the top of the list for causing corrosion, so for a restoration job, I think it's bad way to go.

Silica gel is a good desiccant, but it must be dry to begin with. In days gone by, they put in a colour indicator; damp gel was pink and dry gel (after baking) was blue, but I'm not sure if they are still adding the indicator?

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Old 4th Aug 2019, 12:05 am   #26
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

This is what I mean about the strange aspect to your careful enquiries 1970 You say you are unable to dry out the cabinet and the mould increases. Put it in the window on the south couch and sit on the floor!

Personally, I would use a dry cloth with a little bleach [or more likely white spirit] to kill the new growth and find somewhere in the bushes to dry the case out. It's unlikely to be stolen after all
You must have access to some public space [unless you are trapped in your flat]. I've been doing some rather similar rescue work with record player plinth boards cut out for the decks recently. I used woodworm fluid instead of spirit as I had that problem to deal with as well. It's possible that you are overthinking this situation. Damp, dry rot and woodworm CAN all be a desperate problem but rarely are. Whether you are a mould or a human you wont survive oil based fumes for long! The sunlight is a bonus. If you can't part with the set, you could get an old style rough service incandescent light bulb and hang it in the case as a heat source. I've never tried that myself though.


Dave W

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Old 4th Aug 2019, 7:21 pm   #27
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Hi,

It's probably very likely that I am over thinking. I just like to be as careful as possible and it's still fairly new to me (in the sense of cabinets as I've never had to deal with wood like this, and of this age)

I can definitely find somewhere to put it outside and let it dry out, or on the sofa tomorrow.

I did think about just sorting it out electronically, and turning the set on for a couple of hours a day and letting it dry the damp out itself.


I'll give it a clean and a dry out and see how I get on.

Thank you for your help
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Old 4th Aug 2019, 9:35 pm   #28
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

If you have an old cylinder vacuum cleaner that blows as well as sucks, the "blow" function is very effective at drying anything damp.
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Old 4th Aug 2019, 9:35 pm   #29
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

So it's as I thought, the bleach doesn't feed the mould, but obviously once the active ingredient has evaporated off, and the water content isn't allowed to dry, then mould will eventually return as it would under any other damp conditions.

It's possible that dedicated mould treatment leaves some anti-mould chemical aditive behind to inhibit future mould growth.

I just used the old cheap bleach from the bottle under the kitchen sink to get rid of some mould only yesterday - it's the cheap bleach for me all the way, but dry up afterwards, even if you have to use a hair dryer or similar.
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Old 4th Aug 2019, 11:11 pm   #30
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Hi,

I don't have an old cylinder vacuum cleaner but I can use a hair dryer to dry it out. I'll definitely give it a shot tomorrow and dry it out.

Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it.

(Sorry for the silly questions, but this will be the last of them, I promise! )

Thanks again
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Old 5th Aug 2019, 1:56 am   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 19Seventy7 View Post
Hi,

I did think about silica gel packets but I didn't know if they'd be the same as the dehumidifiers and aren't meant to go near electronics.
The usual desiccators are based on calciumchloride and I think when used form calciumhydroxide in solution which could be corrosive to electronics.

Silicagel is perfectly fine for electronics and can be baked when saturated and then reused.

A cheap but not reusable method is to just fill some pouches or small socks with sugar and replace once saturated. An old time repairman i knew, used to put a bag with sugar inside the tv set when servicing if it was in a damp place.
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Old 5th Aug 2019, 2:05 am   #32
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

I think i'll give that a go now, and let it sit over night until I start drying it tomorrow. Get a bit of a head start on it.

Thanks for the tip!
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Old 5th Aug 2019, 7:54 am   #33
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
So it's as I thought, the bleach doesn't feed the mould, but obviously once the active ingredient has evaporated off, and the water content isn't allowed to dry, then mould will eventually return as it would under any other damp conditions.

It's possible that dedicated mould treatment leaves some anti-mould chemical aditive behind to inhibit future mould growth.

I just used the old cheap bleach from the bottle under the kitchen sink to get rid of some mould only yesterday - it's the cheap bleach for me all the way, but dry up afterwards, even if you have to use a hair dryer or similar.
I wasn't going to reply but with regards to techmans comments, I found this after just a couple of minutes research, and if you look a bit harder there is more. My grandmother was no expert, but she was always right.
Here is what the experts say-

http://www.mycolab.com.au/myths-about-mould
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Old 13th Aug 2019, 12:05 am   #34
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

As a follow-up to my earlier post #14, just back from a weekend at the friend's where we had cured the mould problem using ordinary supermarket bleach. My wife reminds me that it was in fact the year before last, and that the damp caused by the tenant had been so bad that both the wallpaper and the lining paper under it had come away from the wall, remaining attached from about 4 ft above the floor. We had washed both layers of paper and the wall underneath with bleach, wiped off the mould, then dried out the paper and wall by leaving a fan heater and ordinary fan running for 2 days until paper and wall were dry. Before we left we were able to simply re-paste the lining paper and wallpaper back as a "temporary" measure. It was still in place at the weekend, with no trace whatsoever of the mould having reappeared, more than 2 years after treatment. In that case the underlying cause of the mould (the tenant's drying of wet clothes with the window closed) had been removed, so no source of moisture to prompt regrowth.

Last edited by emeritus; 13th Aug 2019 at 12:11 am.
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Old 13th Aug 2019, 1:43 am   #35
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog View Post
I wasn't going to reply but with regards to techmans comments, I found this after just a couple of minutes research, and if you look a bit harder there is more. My grandmother was no expert, but she was always right.
Here is what the experts say-

http://www.mycolab.com.au/myths-about-mould
The linked article raises two sources of doubt about its value;
  • Firstly, the author has not seen fit to put their name to it, so saying that it's an "expert" opinion seems rash
  • Secondly, the claimed used of vinegar as a "main disinfectant" in European hospitals is something that's news to me. Why this has to be fermented vinegar, as distinct to "synthetic" vinegar is 'interesting'.
Maybe it's the talk about vinegar, but my impression is that there's something very fishy about that article.

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Old 13th Aug 2019, 7:33 am   #36
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

As I said, there are other articles to look at, but never mind, the" vintage radio experts" on here know better..
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Old 13th Aug 2019, 11:58 am   #37
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Vinegar is indeed used for cleaning up some antibiotic resistent bacteria, and I'm sure several bacteria and fungi toroughly dislike acidic environments but I don't think it's a "main desinfectant".
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Old 13th Aug 2019, 2:16 pm   #38
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Default Re: Getting rid of damp?

When you have dried out the chipboard and removed the mould you might want to treat the chipboard to make it less porous. It will then be less attractive to the mould.

I would either use Ronseal Wet Rot Wood Hardener or a polyurethane varnish diluted with white spirit.
These will soak into the wood fibres and create a barrier between the mould and its food source.

The downside is that they may alter the flammability of the chipboard.

When I was looking for an alternative to Roundup weedkiller I discovered that acetic acid is a major component of a recently introduced weed killer.
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