winter is coming and I had a lot of problems last year with mold in some spots in my little flat. There are just 2 or 3 “critical” spots for the outer walls where sometimes its not enough to just ventilate once or two times a day (sometime its not possible to do it more often).
So my idea is to place some (little) fans in the near of the spots giving a continous draft and hopefully it will prevent mold.
I had the following in my mind:
Get some cheap table fan and connect it to a smart plugs that can be controlled by home assistant
Pro:
easy
working out of the box
Cons:
Too big for some spots to integrate unobstrusively
maybe too oversized for a gentle draft
expensive
too loud (?)
Another idea:
USB PC case fans connected to some controller (?) or just to a usb power connector
Pros:
cheap
hidden/invisible integration
less noise
better control (?)
Does anybody has a similar project implemented and can share some thoughts? any other ideas maybe? What would be appropriate fans for this and are there controllers that can integrate with home assistant?
Its not mandatory but it would be really great if there is some controller that settings like fan speed can be seen in home assistant
Also to consider: Safety! Since a fan is a mechanical part, in my opinion there is a chance that something blocks the fan which then overheats and may catch fire (?) or isnt this a topic since they are usually self protecting?
Best regards and thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Unless you have six months of darkness where you are, there are solar powered ventilation fans with small rechargeable batteries for exactly your scenario listed on most of the usual online shopping sites.
Solar panel outside, fan inside, and some have an optional vent you can install in a wall opening such as removing a brick.
If the solar power is free, there is little need to measure bumidity or switch them on or off - just let them operate 24/7.
Fan size usually is related to sound level, so the little ones are often driven harder and noisier to move larger volumes of air.
Why don’t you attack the source of the problem rather than implement a technical solution - reduced the humidity rather than constantly move it around? It may not be as cost effective but may be healthier. Mould can be a killer, or at least make you very sick.
Approach the owner if renting your flat to remedy the problem. Ask your neighbours as they may also be experiencing the same problem.
A fan does not prevent mold, removing moisture and filtering out spores can reduce it’s noticeable effects. Honest answer mold is a squatter it moves in and lives rent free. Air purifier/dehumidifier combo, preferably a smart one that connect to home assistant.
OR depending on you local code get a professional to install a vent with a AC Infinity inline fan, they are smart and connect to home assistant. I know you want small cheap but i dont see that working.
The owner/landlord will point you to a “more often ventilating” behaviour. This is the answer most people get here when they have tendencies for building up moldy walls. They do simply not ventilate their rooms enough. And of course, when i ventilate 4-5 times a day, no mold will appear …
But i cant manage it always but even with a high humidity i have no problems but in cold corners especially in winter days …
In general, i have no mold problem, but there are situations … for example in the kitchen. Somebody is cooking and forget to open the windows to let out moisture … this happens 2 or 3 times and you see the wall in the corner is a bit damp … thats a classic spot for mold if this happens again and again … i think a fan could prevent this wet corners
Okay, but whats the reason for the recommendation to not put furniture very close to outer walls?
Furniture blocks air flow and acts as a big sponge to retain moisture. Your walks should not weep moisture. Something is badly wrong.
Mould is insidious. By the time you notice, it is toi late - it has infested everything. Your health will be affected, whether you realise it or not.
Fix the problem, rather than patch over it. Sunshine and fresh air is critical.
But yeah once you have mold its there the visible outbreak you see on walls is only a piece of the mold but its already embedded in the infected room. To help reduce the visible mold ventilating can work, a 5v pc fan is not an option. Sounds like the landlords issue and not yours.
But a properly installed vent will reduce the noticable mold growth, and reduce order but the rooms already contaminated. it wont go away.
Also another method is to install a bathroom vent/fan + a zigbee relay i actually have this setup in my bathroom i ported over to HomeKit and can control it that way and by presence detection. Total cost was around $40 for everything
If somebody is forgetting to use the extractor fan in the kitchen, why not wire it up so it automatically comes on when you turn on any appliances?
(Breaking fingers to remind users is optional)
I think you didn’t get my idea … i do not have a flat full of mold where everything is too late … there are spots, especially in winter, tending to buold mold if you are not carefully … its a very thin ridge to walk on, but if you miss it, you see some little moldy first spots … thats exactly what i want to prevent.
Of couse, if i would have a wall full of mold, everything is too late, i agree …
So what if you move the air behind a furniture using a fan? bad idea?
remove the furniture install a zigbee relay on the fan and get a presence detector and automate it to be on when ever theres presence for over x duration of time.
Recommend removing the moisture, rather than shuffle it along.
If you are on the edge of the threshold for mould buildup, you are way, way past the threshold for healthy air.
Your flat will not have mushrooms growing on the walls to be a silent killer. The mould is already everywhere - you just notice it in the worst spots.
Buy a cheap LYWSD03MMC humidity sensor to verify. No need to hook up to HomeAssistant - just watch the humidity value on the screen. Placing it in the kitchen near your cooking area may be all you need to remind the culprits to turn on the extractor fan. If you really want to futz with it and convert it from BlueTooth to ZigBee, there is a firmware update project on GitHub to do just that.
Invest in a dehumidifier/air conditioner. Not cheap but might be life saving.
I don’t have this implemented for the same purpose but I do have radiator fans which I think would be quite suited since they are quiet and put in a nice package. This is the site where I got them, NL based but surely similar products exist elsewhere. SpeedComfort . You can run them on a smart plug or a Zigbee 12 V relay if you so desire.
If your problem is just kitchen, you likely need ducted kitchen hood that blows the vapor to the outdoors. Simmering food produces massive quantity of water vapor, eventually condensing to walls and ceilings.
