Mold deterrent...

[Externet]

Greetings.

Aluminium windows of goofy design transmit/conduct the sub-freezing exterior to the frame interior causing condensation and mold.

Applying chlorine bleach kills the mold instantly; but would like opinions on a powder/solid 'chalk'/drying film spray applicable to the frame to prevent long term the mold from forming.

[StringJunky]

I have uPVC double-glazed windows that has a sliding vent at the top. If I leave the vents closed for any length of time (weeks) mould starts forming in the corners of the windows. You need some kind of localised  air movement in the immediate window areas to keep drying them. Looking at persistent mould control products, I found Concrobium, which might help and is probably available your side of the pond.

https://www.concrobium.com/concrobium-products/faqs/#:~:text=(Sodium Carbonate and water alone,no bleach%2C ammonia or VOCs.

Edited February 15, 2021 by StringJunky

[iNow]

As SJ hints at, to prevent it you need to keep the area dry. To kill it, I've had good luck with the stuff he references, too: Concrobium Mold Control. It's stinky, but works.

[John Cuthber]

The MSDS lists a couple of strong alkalis as the active ingredients and those will corrode aluminium. (To be fair, so will bleach)

 

The problem is condensation. Have you considered something like this?
https://www.selfadhesive.co.uk/tapes/single-sided-tapes/foam-tapes.html

 

[Externet]

Thanks gentlemen.

I did try single sided adhesive 3mm foam on the inside window frame as insulation coat, not that brand; did not stay stuck to the aluminium 😤

Keeping the area dry is much easier typed than done.  A dozen windows of ~2mx1m in half a dozen rooms...  A brand of bleach left crystals after spraying dried and prevented the mold for a lot longer, but not the condensation 😞

[iNow]

Any chance you can install storm windows? I recognize it may be cost prohibitive

[Externet]

Hi.

These are double pane windows from 1990 in excellent condition for their age.  Their poor design conducts the frame cold from the outside to inside.  Adding a 'storm' window would be on the exterior as far as i know; not preventing much of the outside cold to reach the frame.  If investing on them would give a cure am not against the cost.  What am against is investing for no improvement.

I have laid a towel strip on the sill and collects the running moisture and improves the problem with the towel treated with bleach, ammonia, vinegar...  The nature of the towel wicks and evaporates the moisture decently but not perfectly.

Just wondering of your 'magic' had better bullets than mine...

Thinking on gluing wood or vinyl strips to the interior surfaces...

 

By the way... which single household chemical in the towel would deterr mold better by proximity ? Ammonia, bleach, vinegar, other ?

Edited February 16, 2021 by Externet

[studiot]

22 minutes ago, Externet said:

Hi.

These are double pane windows from 1990 in excellent condition for their age.  Their poor design conducts the frame cold from the outside to inside.  Adding a 'storm' window would be in the exterior as far as i know; not preventing much of the outside cold to reach the frame.  I have laid a towel strip on the sill and collects the running moisture and improves the problem with the towel treated with bleach, ammonia, vinegar...  The nature of the towel wicks and evaporates the moisture decently but not perfectly.

Just wondering of your 'magic' had better bullets than mine...

Thinking on gluing wood or vinyl strips to the interior surfaces...

I understand the issue of thermal transmission.

Your heat transference from the inside to the ouside (or cold from the outside in if you want to look at it this way) depends on the continuous path through the metal from the cold outside to the (hopefully) warmer inside.

If you can introduce a barrier between the source of heat and/or cold you will slow this transference down considerably.

So you can also surface insulate the outside of the frame with a layer that lets the cold through much more slowly.

I don't know if this would be visually acceptable but is almost as effective as internal insulation.

Secondly you can buy mositure absorbance trays devices to place in windowcills.
I will try to search out some for you.

[iNow]

2 hours ago, Externet said:

which single household chemical in the towel would deterr mold better by proximity ? Ammonia, bleach, vinegar, other ?

The Concrobium stuff referenced above