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I have a wood fireplace that's currently unused and I put an electric heater in it like this:

enter image description here

Note I am not using this heater very often.

I was careful to use legs and leave sufficient room on each end to prevent mold growth. Yet I realized there seems to be mold in the background.

Here is a closeup:

enter image description here

Note, I am referring to the white stains on the bricks in the back. The yellow stuff may look like ultra crazy mushroom but it's actually insulation batting.

What is the best way to prevent this mold?

I am aware that this is caused by humidity and the cool walls (where water can more easily condensate) but this is not something I can easily fix. Is there a way to treat the firebox to inhibit mold growth or something similar that does NOT involve thousands of dollars of investment?

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  • did you try any chemicals
    – DIY75
    Commented Mar 15 at 7:34
  • It's not mold and not caused by humidity/condensation. It's efflorescence. Water containing dissolved minerals is percolating through the bricks and evaporating on the inside surface which leaves mineral deposits behind on the surface. To "fix" it you need to prevent the water from getting into the bricks. You can probably brush/scrub the minerals off the surface to improve the appearance.
    – gnicko
    Commented Mar 16 at 0:02

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This is not mold. This is efflorescence (minerals migrating out of the material) caused by moisture moving through the brick. It is not a health hazard. If you want to remove it, use muriatic acid.

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  • I would definitely not use muriatic acid, due to corrosive fumes. Ignore effloresence. It is not a problem that would justify all the trouble, expense, and possible damage from an agressive removal procedure.
    – Jim Stewart
    Commented Mar 15 at 15:31
  • Maybe vinegar and a wire brush.
    – gnicko
    Commented Mar 16 at 0:05

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