Controlling condensation and mould in your home

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1 Controlling condensation and mould in your home

2 We welcome your views At North Hertfordshire Homes we like to take your views into account when making decisions. We aim to provide a responsive, efficient and effective service that is valued by all our tenants and customers and we are always looking for ways to improve. To do this we need your help. Talk to us when things go wrong, but also tell us when we have done things right and let us know how we can do things better. If you are not pleased with the service you receive from us we would ask that, in the first instance, you speak directly to our frontline staff. However if you are still not satisfied you may wish to use our formal complaints procedure. All the relevant contact details can be found on the back pages. Kevin Thompson NHH Chief Executive

3 Controlling condensation and mould in your home WHAT IS CONDENSATION? Condensation can often be seen on windows on a cold morning, and occurs when warm moist air hits cold surfaces. This process causes the air to condense and form droplets of water, often resulting in patches of black mould. The mould does not always grow in the same room that the moisture comes from. This primarily occurs between the months of October and April. It can happen when the weather is cold, even if it is dry, and is usually caused as a result of day to day living. Where do you find condensation? It can be found on and adjacent to windows, in the corners and edges of rooms, behind and inside wardrobes and cupboards especially if they are against an external wall. Are my damp symptoms caused by condensation? Not all dampness is caused by condensation, sometimes dampness can be as a result of: Leaking internal or external pipes Roof leaks caused by broken, missing or faulty tiles, guttering or chimney flashings Rising damp because of a defective damp proof course or faulty rendering, mortar joints or blocked cavities. Dampness of this nature will often result in a tide mark and can occur at any time of the year. If you think that your home is suffering from one of the above defects please phone NHH s Repairs Service on to arrange a repair or an inspection.

4 WHAT CAUSES CONDENSATION? There are 3 main causes of condensation: Too much moisture production in your home Insufficient ventilation Cool temperatures. Everyday activities such as those listed in the example below, and even your breathing continually adds to the existing moisture already present in the air. How much moisture can be produced in your home in a day? Here is an example: 2 people active for 1 day 3 pints Cooking and boiling kettles Having a bath or shower Washing clothes Drying clothes Using a paraffin or bottled gas heater Total amount of moisture produced in the home for 1 day 6 pints 2 pints 1 pint 9 pints 3 pints 24 pints

5 Controlling condensation and mould in your home

6 HOW TO AVOID CONDENSATION The following steps can be taken to reduce and control your condensation problem. Reduce moisture levels Ordinary daily activities can produce a lot of moisture quite quickly. Here are some steps you can take to reduce moisture production in your home: Cover boiling pans when cooking and use extractor fans if fitted. Ensure that tumble dryers are properly vented to the outside. Dry clothes outside or, where this is not possible, in the bathroom with the door closed and windows open or extractor fan on. Do you have a tropical fish tank that regularly requires topping up with water? The water that has evaporated from the tank has added to the moisture level of the air within your home. You could consider fitting a lid. If you are running a bath, put the cold water in first to reduce the amount of steam. Close kitchen and bathroom doors to stop water vapour movement to other parts of the house. Report broken extractor fans and leaking pipes that can add to humidity levels contributing to conditions that encourage mould to grow. A dehumidifier could help by reducing the level of moisture in the air, but you will need to consider the costs involved.

7 Controlling condensation and mould in your home Increase ventilation Increasing ventilation will prevent moisture-laden air from being trapped in your home. Actions that can be taken could be as simple as opening a window. If you have trickle vents fitted to your windows, try to keep them open and unobstructed as much as possible too, especially in habited rooms. Move furniture away from the walls slightly to allow air to circulate behind them. If possible it is better to provide ventilation at the point where moisture is produced. Raise the temperature The best way to heat your home is through steady background heating left on throughout the day. This is because warmer air can hold more moisture, and as the temperature of the walls increases there is less chance that condensation will form on them. Each time the room cools down, the moisture in the air settles onto the cold surfaces, which in turn never get a chance to dry out fully. It is this repeated rise and fall of room temperature that allows mould to appear. Remember to heat the whole house rather than just one room.

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9 Controlling condensation and mould in your home CLEANING THE MOULD Once the steps listed have been taken, you should find that the condensation problems reduce. However, any existing mould will not disappear. This will need to be washed off and treated with a fungicidal wash, which is generally available in supermarkets and DIY stores, or you could use diluted bleach. Some textured wallpapers may have to be stripped to ensure mould spores are not able to return. It is essential that you always follow the manufacturer s instructions for important health and safety information that will enable you to use the products safely. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Will someone from NHH visit my home and carry out work to cure my mould problem? There are measures that NHH can take to make sure that there are no defects with your home that will cause or contribute towards condensation or mould problems. However, the majority of condensation problems that occur can be combated through relatively minor living adjustments as set out in this leaflet. I ve been advised to keep furniture away from external walls and to reduce clutter, how will this help reduce the mould that affects my home? Warm moisture-filled air naturally migrates to cooler surfaces. Cooler areas can be found behind furniture up against external walls where the heat does not reach. This sometimes causes mould to spread from a cold wall onto and occasionally inside adjacent furniture. Moving furniture away from external walls and reducing clutter will heat these areas to reduce the likelihood that they will be affected by mould.

10 Your advice seems to suggest keeping the heating on all day with our windows open at the same time, is this not a waste of money? A sensible balance is required between heating and ventilation to sufficiently heat the walls. This reduces the likelihood of condensation forming on internal surfaces, whilst allowing moisture filled air to escape from the property and be replaced with fresh, dry air. A steady low background heat that warms the fabric of the building will have a more positive impact than heating your home in short bursts at a higher temperature. It is important not to over-ventilate during cold periods as this can cause a rapid drop in temperature which can make the problem worse. How can you be sure that the problems I am experiencing are due to condensation and not rising damp? Our inspectors are trained and experienced in identifying different types of damp and can often determine the most likely cause with a visual inspection. In cases where there is any doubt diagnostic equipment may be used to help diagnose or reinforce their findings. FOR MORE INFORMATION Housing Repairs Team The Depot Blackhorse Road Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 1HA Freephone or housingrepairs@nhh.org.uk

11 Your local Neighbourhood Offices Baldock The Manor House, 21 High Street, Baldock Hertfordshire SG7 6AZ Hitchin 66 Bancroft, Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 1LL Letchworth 28 Broadway, Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3AA Royston 10a Angel Pavement, Royston Hertfordshire SG8 9AS St Albans 19 Victoria Street, St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3JJ If you have a compliment, comment or complaint on any area of service please call , talk2us@nhh.org.uk or write to us at the address on the back cover.

12 North Hertfordshire Homes Limited Rowan House Avenue One Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 2WW T F E customer.services@nhh.org.uk W This leaflet explains how to control damp and mould within your home. It is available in large print, other formats and can be translated into another language on request. Bengali Punjabi Polish Urdu RS01/11