Does Anti Fungal Paint Stop Mould

If your home has a persistent problem with mould growth on walls or ceilings in your bathroom, it usually means that the room needs to be better ventilated and that humid air is not escaping.  The water vapour from baths and showers can build up in the air, and when that saturated air comes into contact with cool surfaces such as windows or exterior walls,  it will form condensation. 

As condensation builds up, it can soak through porous surfaces that create damp patches where mould will start to grow.  Cleaning mould from walls can resolve the problem temporarily, but unless you tackle the root causes of mould, it will continue to grow back every few months.

If you’re frustrated by persistent mould, you might be thinking about using an anti-mould or anti-fungal paint on your bathroom walls and ceilings to stop the mould from growing back, but do these paints work?

What are anti-mould paints?

Anti-mould or anti-fungal paints are specialised paints that are manufactured to remove some of the critical factors that help mould grow.

Anti-mould paints usually are thicker than typical decorating paint and are oil (rather than water) based.  This means that if they are properly applied, they will create an impermeable barrier between the air in the room and the plaster of the wall. This thickness prevents condensation from soaking through into the plaster and causing damp patches.  Because the paint needs to be applied in a very thick layer, you need to add multiple coats to get the highest level of protection.

In addition to creating a barrier against moisture, anti-mould paints contain anti-microbial and anti-fungal chemicals.  These chemicals affect the cell structure of bacteria and mould, preventing them from thriving.

Does anti-mould paintwork

Anti-mould paint does not stop mould growth altogether but does slow it down considerably.

Although the paint helps to stop damp patches from forming inside your walls, condensation will still form on the surface, and this can provide a place for the mould spores to collect and begin to grow.

Similarly, while the anti-microbial chemicals in the paint slow down mould growth, over time, these chemicals react with the mould cells, and their concentrations will fall until they are no longer as practical.  If anti-mould paint is applied correctly and the walls are regularly cleaned to remove traces of mould, they can significantly reduce the growth of mildew for four to six years.

When you notice mould starting to grow back, you will need to reapply the paint.

Stopping Mould Permanently

The only way that you can permanently stop mould from growing on condensation-caused damp patches is to reduce the humidity levels in your home to prevent condensation.

Improving the ventilation in your bathroom and kitchen to extract moist air before it can spread around your home is the most effective way to stop condensation permanently.  Mounting sufficiently robust extractor fans on kitchen and bathroom walls and ensuring that they are regularly serviced and cleaned will remove the majority of water vapour from your home.

Whole house ventilation goes one step further.  PIV systems such as EnviroVent’s ATMOS draw fresh filtered air into your home from outside.  This air is distributed throughout the building and improves the overall airflow.

Better airflow reduces the ability of mould spores to settle in a particular area and also equalises the temperature to take away the cold spots where mould will thrive.

Find out more

If you have discovered mould in your home and are worried that it could affect your health or the value of your property, we can help you remove it permanently.  Our local ventilation specialists can visit your home to identify the causes of condensation and mould and advise you about the best action to take.  Enter your postcode below to find a specialist near you.