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The answer: Not Directly.
Only if the curtains are actually touching or touch the window, which most don’t. It derives from and does contribute to the general humidity in the surrounds around the curtain which again contributes to the development of mould. Water on windows is mostly somewhere … View moreThe answer: Not Directly.
Only if the curtains are actually touching or touch the window, which most don’t. It derives from and does contribute to the general humidity in the surrounds around the curtain which again contributes to the development of mould. Water on windows is mostly somewhere between 75 and 100 mm from a curtain so how it hops the space to create mould is an interesting question.
I have seen curtains more than a meter from the windows and still moldy and curtains 20 years old with no mould. Not in the sun.
Moisture on windows is caused by the lower dew point of the glass. The warmer the air in a room/house the more moisture it will hold. It is a natural reaction for the moisture in the air to collect on the cool glass as the warm moist air attempts to equalize the air temperature and the glass temperature. The cooler glass sucks the heat out of the air.
Heat always travels from hot towards cold, leaving the moisture on the window and the warmth heating the glass until the outside temperature is the same as the inside temperature.
The closer together the temperature of the air and the glass the less it will happen. Indeed in the summer it works in the opposite where the higher temp of the glass heats the air in the room. This would also occur on days in the winter when the air in the house is cooler than the glass that’s heated by the sun. As soon as the temperature reverses the dew point on the glass lowers and then we have moisture on the windows. Same happens in your car.
Now without the sun or heating of some kind warming the curtains and the room, the curtains would remain at the ambient room air temperature but that’s not what happens. Heating or the sun will warm the curtains which like the air absorb the moisture from the air around them. This is also influenced by the humidity in the air at the time. If the curtains are cooler than the air in the room then any humidity will be absorbed by the curtains.
In doing so they also absorb the bacteria that is entrapped in that moisture. It important to note that that moisture can be from any source both inside and outside of the immediate vicinity of the curtains, for moisture in the air is carried by air currents that swirl around constantly, due to breeze, air temperature, movement by people and so on.
The curtains will adjust their own temperature and level of water absorbed up and down depending on the same factors, i.e. air temp, amount of heat applied to them by the sun and the amount of heat the material is able to absorb and retain and the all this is complicated by the time which curtains retain that heat and for how long.
So we have material curtains that absorb and release both heat and moisture all the time depending on the room conditions.
Thus we have curtains that essentially become mini glass houses or incubators, especially in the folds or where the sun has a high heat impact upon the material. A further compounding factor is the closeness of the material bulk to the wall. If as is mostly the case curtains are bunched against the wall, especially after being heated by the sun in the mornings, then the incubator effect is heightened. The same applies to late afternoon except that at that time the sun is intense and hotter than morning so the curtains retain more heat for longer. Midday sun is at a higher angle and so doesn’t affect the curtains so much.
The type of material also has an effect. Many older materials were natural and tended to allow more passage of air. Many of the modern materials are almost impervious to air and in the case of say taffeta’s and blackout material there is no “breathing” at all.
The use of Blackout material on many curtains has both the effect of no “breathing and it also retains an enormous amount of heat where the sun shines upon it. Put taffeta and blackout together and it’s a given that curtains and or more likely the linings will go moldy, even in rooms where there is standard ventilation.
How does the warmth affect the curtains?
As with all incubators and glass houses the warmth creates an ideal condition for bacteria to grow. Longer periods of warmth, especially where the humidity is high, such as in curtain folds, and even in the material fibres themselves encourage the growth of bacteria. Bacteria thrive in colonies and have an enormous rate of duplication, and will grow colonies that live and hibernate and create their spores that continue to reinfect and grow the new colonies.
This growth happens in the warm, mostly summer and on curtains is mostly seen as an orange-y or reddish spots. These colonies flourish and die and then regrow from the spores left in the curtains. This may happen for several years before they become easily seen.
By the time most people notice the mildew the bacteria have died, due to the cooler winter temperature and left their spores which have turned black. That’s what we see. They are hibernating mould bacteria which are responsible for the black stain seen on curtains and linings.
It would be rare for this to contaminate the curtains in a short period of time to a degree where it is very visible and usually we could expect two to three years for this to be readily visible and often longer. The black often becomes visible after winter when the cold has had its effect on the bacteria.
Where does all this moisture come from?
The air always contains moisture to a greater or lesser extent. In New Zealand, area’s such as Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and others have high levels of humidity on any given day because we are close to the sea.
Inside of a house as well as the air humidity level there are other sources of humidity.
People. People exhale moisture when breathing. Closing bedroom doors at night means that that moisture remains inside the bedroom unless there is ventilation to change the air.
En-suites which are now very popular contribute to the moisture in a house, are as do showers and cooking, especially boiling pots of water.
Un-flued Gas Heaters run on LPG are big contributors to the humidity in the room because the gas burns to produce CO2 and water aka Moisture.
Now we want to have these facilities as well as warm houses so we have created an ideal world for bacteria.
Some of the issues can be easily mitigated.
Heat pumps do not remove moisture from a house except at low temperatures whereas dehumidifiers remove the moisture from the air in the house and produce warmth in the process. Tiny ones are not much good but there are a number of larger models.(Remember your science and you will recall that the warmer the air the more moisture it holds, so warming it with a heat pump allows the air to hold more moisture from your cooking, showers etc. Dehumidifiers work by extracting that water, something the heat pump can’t/won’t do.). Using a dehumidifier means not having to install a ventilation system at more cost. Allowing for better room ventilation with cool air. Especially of the windows can be left just open to facilitate cool air inflow.
By changing the curtain rail brackets from the standard 65mm to 80 or 100mm so that the curtains are further from the walls and the windows. This allows for more air circulation around the curtains and thus less higher temperatures. Having separate blackout curtains on a different rail to the other curtains. Install a ShowerDome. In our experience roof ventilation systems and double glazing do not prevent this mildew problem but may delay its onset.
Too late? We can clean your mouldy curtains - visit curtainclean.co.nz or call us on 07-579 0501 to book in today.
Recycling update for Brooklyn to Kingston - Wednesday (20/05/2020) is our scheduled date for rubbish and collection in our area. We have been told - hopefully accurately - that since the WCC contractors hand sort the recycled glass into clear, green & brown glass bins into the back of the … View moreRecycling update for Brooklyn to Kingston - Wednesday (20/05/2020) is our scheduled date for rubbish and collection in our area. We have been told - hopefully accurately - that since the WCC contractors hand sort the recycled glass into clear, green & brown glass bins into the back of the individual glass bins on the trucks, then emptied into separated glass type rail wagons and taken to the glass factory in Auckland, these are not going to the landfill. This is the latest WCC recycling fact sheet available....wellington.govt.nz...
Just a reminder that if Monday is your normal recycling day, we'll be doing a special one off collection for your street tomorrow Saturday 16 May.
While collection crews are so busy, avoid missing out on any given day by popping your recycling out by 6am or the night before.
As always, there … View moreJust a reminder that if Monday is your normal recycling day, we'll be doing a special one off collection for your street tomorrow Saturday 16 May.
While collection crews are so busy, avoid missing out on any given day by popping your recycling out by 6am or the night before.
As always, there is a limit of 2 glass crates per household, so please do not put out extra glass in alternative boxes. For safety, glass crates should not be filled higher than the lip.
For more information, read out our FAQs:
wellington.govt.nz...
As we settle into life in Alert Level 2, we're excited to see a bit more of NZ. Join us as we showcase the best close-to-home travel experiences Aotearoa has to offer.
We’ve been proud to work with some amazing charities over the past few months who have been helping Kiwis up the road, down the road and ‘round the corner, to get through.
Join us in thanking all the outstanding New Zealanders at The Student Volunteer Army, Kiwi Harvest, Kaibosh, and food … View moreWe’ve been proud to work with some amazing charities over the past few months who have been helping Kiwis up the road, down the road and ‘round the corner, to get through.
Join us in thanking all the outstanding New Zealanders at The Student Volunteer Army, Kiwi Harvest, Kaibosh, and food banks like The Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch City Missions.
Ngā mihi maioha.
#neighbourstogether
Our Community Centres may be closed for business as usual at Alert Level 3, but they’re still being put to good use with medical practices administering flu jabs to the local community.
Here’s Kilbirnie Pharmacy in action giving vaccinations to patients at the Kilbirnie/Lyall Bay Community … View moreOur Community Centres may be closed for business as usual at Alert Level 3, but they’re still being put to good use with medical practices administering flu jabs to the local community.
Here’s Kilbirnie Pharmacy in action giving vaccinations to patients at the Kilbirnie/Lyall Bay Community Centre, while also adhering to all the Ministry of Health guidelines.
Following Monday’s announcement by the Government, we're pleased to announce most of our services and facilities can reopen and resume as the country moves into Alert Level 2 on Thursday 14 May.
While Level 2 means more freedom with everyday activities, there are still measures in place to … View moreFollowing Monday’s announcement by the Government, we're pleased to announce most of our services and facilities can reopen and resume as the country moves into Alert Level 2 on Thursday 14 May.
While Level 2 means more freedom with everyday activities, there are still measures in place to keep the country safe.
For more information about our services and facilities at Level 2, visit:
wellington.govt.nz...
Play it safe Pōneke!
Small businesses are vital to the recovery of our economy.
During the Covid-19 restrictions, business owners have shown initiative, hard work and resilience to keep afloat.
But many have been hit hard.
Lack of clarity about just how heavy the toll of the restrictions have been on … View moreSmall businesses are vital to the recovery of our economy.
During the Covid-19 restrictions, business owners have shown initiative, hard work and resilience to keep afloat.
But many have been hit hard.
Lack of clarity about just how heavy the toll of the restrictions have been on individual businesses and their ability to quickly rebound adds to the uncertainty of the national economic recovery.
Therefore, Prosper is launching a survey targeted at finding out the scale of Covid-19's impact.
You can take that survey right now – it will only take a few minutes.
Did you know a government and industry study found the condition of as many as one in two New Zealand homes assessed wasn’t as healthy as it should be?
That has a big impact on our health, but despite the obstacles we face, there are lots of simple ways to make your place warmer and drier, … View moreDid you know a government and industry study found the condition of as many as one in two New Zealand homes assessed wasn’t as healthy as it should be?
That has a big impact on our health, but despite the obstacles we face, there are lots of simple ways to make your place warmer and drier, more comfortable and easier to heat.
Sutherland Performance is a Rippl venue. On arrival at the workshop please wash or gel your hands and sign in. You can sign our contact tracing record or check in using the Rippl app. Available in the Apple App store or Google Play store.
This may look like a waste of water, but it’s sometimes better to release a little bit out rather than turn off water to the whole street.
Here we have Water Serviceperson Rapata replacing a broken toby. Rather than turning off the water, he diverted the flow away from the affected house for a … View moreThis may look like a waste of water, but it’s sometimes better to release a little bit out rather than turn off water to the whole street.
Here we have Water Serviceperson Rapata replacing a broken toby. Rather than turning off the water, he diverted the flow away from the affected house for a few minutes while he did the job.
The Southern Landfill will open to public on Thursday 14 May.
Safety precautions will be in place including vehicle recognition, social distancing measures, and a new way to pay. Normal hours will apply, except on weekends, where the site will close at 3.30pm.
Please expect delays. We recommend … View moreThe Southern Landfill will open to public on Thursday 14 May.
Safety precautions will be in place including vehicle recognition, social distancing measures, and a new way to pay. Normal hours will apply, except on weekends, where the site will close at 3.30pm.
Please expect delays. We recommend visiting on your allocated recycling day to avoid congestion.
For more information including FAQs, visit our website:
wellington.govt.nz...
We always need volunteers to assist in our Op Shops (we have 9 over the Wellington Area: Newtown, Miramar, Island Bay, Karori, Aro Valley, Khandallah and Johnsonville, Kilbirnie, Kelburn). So please call us, or drop by an op shop closest to you and start volunteering today. We also need volunteers … View moreWe always need volunteers to assist in our Op Shops (we have 9 over the Wellington Area: Newtown, Miramar, Island Bay, Karori, Aro Valley, Khandallah and Johnsonville, Kilbirnie, Kelburn). So please call us, or drop by an op shop closest to you and start volunteering today. We also need volunteers for our food bank, donations sorting room and van driver assistants.
Want to be a part of a great team making a real difference in your community? Phone (04) 389-7111 or email volunteer@vinnieswgtn.org.nz
Dear Neighbours,
Since Level 2, we are open as normal, from 10am to 6pm.
At the meanwhile, tons of new product come and we hope you enjoy shopping with us safely.
Dear Neighbours,
After a hard time, our vegetarian products came back.
Now we almost have all of them.
Please come and check.
Cheers!
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