Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Nov 24, 2011 11:07 pm Hi, I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but I am after some advice. There is quite a bit of mould on the timber being used to frame our house as the timber was left sitting on the site and wrapped while it rained and got very humid. One of the pieces used on the frame is covered in mould. I have raised the issue only to be told that they have inspected and there is no mouldy timber. They also said they don't use mouldy timber, but I can clearly see it on the house. Is this something that I should be concerned about. Should I be getting this piece at least removed or treated. It is the worst one but there is mouldy bits in numerous places. Any advice most appreciated. Re: Mouldy timber frame 2Nov 30, 2011 8:23 pm Were you going to hire a building inspector at frame stage? If not, please do that. Or you can spend a bit of money and get someone in who has one of those high tech cameras to detect moisture levels. I think it's about $500 per report. I'll PM you with details as I do not logon to Homeone frequently. This person will recommend a course of action. Mold needs to be decontaminated, or it will spread. Our house currently has a drying machine going on with the plaster torn down to expose the mold. Re: Mouldy timber frame 3Nov 30, 2011 8:42 pm Hi, Thanks for the replay. Yes we are getting an independent inspector in and I have told them about this. They will be doing an inspection next week. I showed the worst of the mould to the builder today and I must say they were not overly concerned until I pushed for it to be fixed. I just got told that you have to expect some dampness to get in. No one seems to take it seriously or think there is any concern though about this. Maybe it is very common that homes are built with mould on the timber? Heytherek Re: Mouldy timber frame 4Sep 22, 2014 10:34 pm Hi Heytherek, Put everything in writing... even confirming what they said.. and write the details in a journal or diary. Mould can be quite incidental, but some mould can advance via its mycelium. The type matters sometimes, but as a general rule if the moisture steadily reduces, then the mould will die. The best test is on the timber itself - basically does it cave in when pressured and is this soft portion just a few millimetres. If so I say it is very unlikely that the timber will remain at risk once the timber dries again, cheers Leonardo_23 Re: Mouldy timber frame 5Sep 23, 2014 12:57 am From what you described your timber has not been wet for long enough to be affected by rot so there will not be structural issues. Mould spores are everywhere and they will thrive in damp conditions. It looks like you have surface mould on your framing members. Once frame is built it will dry out and when plastered then moisture content of your timber should stabilise at 10-14% which is not enough to sustain mould growth. Keep your home dry and ventilate well and in winter keep it heated to reduce humidity. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Thanks Pulse, thats really helpful and very much appreciated. Also thanks for the pointer on sheathing, thats me watching too many american youtube videos! 6 2104 Engineering timber is certainly a less fuss option, times cheaper to supply and install and better withstands humidity. 1 11524 Long time forum searcher first time asker. I've got this hideous aluminium frame for a front door and side windows. Is there a way or a product out there that could be… 0 2227 |