How to replace mouldy bed slats and address humidity issues?

kitkat20

hello

during Melbourne winter I believe lot of condensation happened in room and humidity might stay at 80% with 12 degree internal temp in night

also I wasn’t opening windows or blind

this end up in getting mould on frame which you can see in photo greenish

also mattress has slight greenish

can you tell me best way to create slats and I will buy new mattress also

I want to know how to reduce humidity from room, I tried warming room it reduce humidity but I can’t run reverse cycle ac all night to fix this

JacobZ

Hi @kitkat20,

If you are replacing the bed slats, something around 89 x 19mm DAR pine would be a good option. You can cut the boards to suit the width of your bed frame, making sure they are adequately supported at each end.

Considering you have mould growth on the mattress itself, replacing it as you've suggested would likely be the safest option. Mattresses are porous, and once mould has penetrated into them it can be very difficult to determine how far it has spread or to clean it thoroughly.

The bigger issue to address is the amount of moisture in the room. Humidity around 80% combined with an internal temperature of around 12°C creates conditions where condensation and mould growth are much more likely. Keeping the blinds and windows closed will also reduce ventilation, allowing that moisture to remain in the room.

Heating the room can lower the relative humidity, as you've noticed, but you don't necessarily need to run your air conditioner all night. Regularly opening the windows and blinds during the day to improve ventilation can make a significant difference. I'd also make sure there is some space between the bed and surrounding walls so air can circulate around and underneath it.

If ventilation alone isn't keeping the humidity under control, a dehumidifier would be worth considering. Unlike simply heating the room, a dehumidifier physically removes moisture from the air and can be particularly useful during a cold Melbourne winter when leaving windows open for extended periods isn't practical.

I'd suggest picking up an inexpensive humidity meter such as this https://www.bunnings.com.au/switchbot-meter-plus-smart-thermometer-and-hygrometer_p1125086 as well. This will allow you to keep an eye on the room and see whether the changes you're making are actually bringing the humidity down.

Once you've replaced the affected components, the important thing will be keeping the area dry and well-ventilated, so you don't end up with the same problem again.

Jacob