100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

'Unseasonal onslaught': mould outbreak sparks warning to Sunshine Coast home owners

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

‘Tough spot’: why cup of coffee could soar to $10

A blend of cost-of-living pressures and an increase in demand for one of the world’s biggest commodities could bump up the price of a More

New bin tax dumped on local councils

The state government has hit local councils with a bin tax, meaning ratepayers will have to pay for the waste they send to landfill. Sunshine More

Ashley Robinson: level of pain on another plane

I have a couple of allergies. I am dead-set allergic to pain, which sort of makes sense that I am scared of dentists. It all More

Photo of the day: purple haze

Dawn over the Mooloolah River, by Helen Browne. If you have a photo of the day offering, email photo@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. Photos must be horizontal/landscape and may More

High-tech trolleys to be rolled out at major supermarket

Shoppers at a major supermarket will have a “revolutionary” way to purchase groceries, with the introduction of new high-tech trolleys. Woolworths is set to introduce More

Locals fume as van dwellers overrun town’s beach car parks

Illegal camping is testing the patience of a beachside town’s residents, who claim van dwellers are overrunning car parks, ignoring signage, dumping rubbish and More

An unseasonal and widespread outbreak of mould has prompted Australia’s leading agency for units to issue a warning to owners.

The Australian Apartment Advocacy said mould was rampant across South-East Queensland, including the Sunshine Coast, and it was unlikely to be covered by normal residential insurance.

The organisation received hundreds of calls and emails about mould issues during the past week.

Samantha Reece, who heads AAA, said thousands of apartment owners now faced clean-up costs to combat mould following the unusual rain and humidity.

“Queenslanders in the north are used to mould, but the reports we are getting is that the incidence of mould in southern Queensland is almost unheard of due to the current conditions of humidity and moisture,” she said.

“The bad news is that mould itself is not covered by insurance generally unless it has been caused by an insurable event such as storm damage or flooding.

“We have had hundreds of apartment owners contact us and our message is the same; check your insurance policy but it is highly unlikely you are covered for mould unless you have suffered or experienced an insurable event such as structural damage caused by flooding.”

“The matter has been exasperated with the fact that most apartments nowadays have been constructed to be airtight and hence air flow is essential to reducing the impact of mould.”

It’s highly unlikely your insurance covers mould. Picture: Shutterstock.

How to prevent and get rid of mould

Ms Reece urged apartment and unit owners on the Sunshine Coast to treat their mould problem and not hope that it would simply go away.

“Mould, if untreated, can cause health problems such as allergic reactions and asthma difficulties and it can be treated in most instances with products such as dehumidifiers that are not toxic and that can be purchased from any hardware store.”

It is also recommended that residents – during showering, cooking and using their clothes dryers in apartments – run their exhaust fans for longer than normal to extract the additional moisture.

Help keep independent and fair Sunshine Coast news coming by subscribing to our free daily news feed. All it requires is your name and email. See SUBSCRIBE at the top of this article.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share