Please help. I'm not real smart. Shortly after our house was built, I had a contractor paint all my metal exterior doors. He did a real lousy job. There are a lot of runs in the paint, but the biggest problem is the MOLD! After about six months from the time he painted, we started getting black mold. It now seems like the more I clean, the faster it comes back. What can I do to stop the mold? What kind of paint should I use? Thanks

 

Mold takes moisture and heat to grow. Is there anything that can be done to decrease the growing conditions? Clean well with bleach. You can add mildewcide to the paint to slow down reoccurance.

 

Is the mold on the inside or outside?

Find the source of the mold. Painting and cleaning will do nothing to stop the problem. There is an obvious source of moisture somewhere, so you need to find it.

 

The mold is only on the outside of the doors and frames. A couple of the doors are under a six foot porch, and three of them are where they get a lot of sunlight. Thanks

 

Exterior mold and mildew is often caused by dew that isn't quickly dried up by the sun. I wonder if the paint used was not appropriate for the job. The doors should be painted with exterior enamel. Usually either oil base or latex will preform well. For added insurance I would have extra mildewcide added to the paint.

 

Mold also needs food
Clear out or clear back any bushes or trees nearby if at all possible
Sometimes it's not obvious
If the spots seem to get alot of sun mold can still grow with damp mornings and a good supply food blowing across the area from nearby bushes or trees
Sunlight won't kill a tenacious mold, just make it harder for it to grow

The mold must be killed, and killed well, before any painting is done
Or else it will just come back quickly (as you have seen)
Bleach would do it
X-14 works well
Jomax works well
Just be carefull as these mildecides are pretty noxious, and can burn your eyes and bleach your clothes