Moulds within rental units in Bali are a common problem. This is mainly due to the high air humidity and water infiltration of all types. Moreover, landlords put effort into cleaning the mould and painting the walls before moving in. The house looks clean, but shortly after you notice visible mould growing on walls and ceilings, and/or a damp, musky smell arising in your rental. In most cases, the main reason was that the walls were painted without proper mould treatment. When scraping the walls, mould spores spread in the air in a swirl effect. They linger until they find new damp areas for root growth. Some will settle on freshly painted walls, others can float for considerable distances, and settle down in areas that were not contaminated to that point.

 

There is always the option of moving out, but there are downsides to consider: mould spores will contaminate your belongings if they get the chance. Once you move into a new house, you will most likely contaminate it through affected belongings, and the nightmare will start all over.

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However, what if you really like the place and do not want to move?

First, it is necessary to investigate whether the building has large construction flaws that cannot be fixed or are too costly to fix. This aspect is essential for decision making.

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Minor leakages can be easily fixed, and proofing the outer walls against water infiltration are things that landlords, in most cases, will help you with or you might decide to do yourself.

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Now that you fix the structural aspects, you will have to take the right preventive measurements on the inside: let sunlight in as much as possible, do not block the windows with pieces of furniture, pull the curtains over the day, ventilate your house properly, and keep room humidity in check by using either the AC and/or dehumidifiers.

Getting all this done will not solve your mould problem, but will considerably slow down the growth of the mould.

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All this combined systematic large-scale professional mould treatment of the house will allow you to live within the rental of choice without risking your health.