Your guide to... keeping your home free of condensation and mould. Information for customers of Parkway Green Housing Trust

Transcription

1 20 Your guide to... keeping your home free of condensation and mould Information for customers of Parkway Green Housing Trust

2 Your guide to keeping your home free of condensation and mould Do you have condensation? Condensation can cause mould on walls and furniture and make timber window frames rot. Condensation can encourage the growth of mould and mites and can increase the risk of respiratory illness. This leaflet explains how condensation forms and how you can keep it to a minimum. What is condensation? There is always some moisture in the air, even if you cannot see it. Cold air holds less moisture than warm air. So when warm air touches a cold surface, like a window or a wall, the moisture droplets condense to form a liquid. This is condensation. You can see it when you breathe out on a cold day or when the mirror mists over when you have a bath. Condensation occurs mainly during cold weather, whether it is raining or dry, it does not leave a tidemark. Places where you are most likely to find condensation include corners, on or near windows and in or behind wardrobes and cupboards. Is it condensation? Although the most common cause of water in your home is condensation, there can be other causes too. For example: P leaking pipes, wastes or overflows info@parkwaygreen.co.uk

3 P rain seeping through the roof where a tile or slate is missing, spilling from a blocked gutter, penetrating around window frames, or leaking through a cracked pipe P rising damp due to a defective damp course or because there is no damp course. These forms of moisture normally leave a tidemark or stain. They may also need us to carry out repairs. So if you notice marks like this please call us on If your home is damp for any of these reasons it may take weeks of heating and ventilation to dry out. Hiring a dehumidifier will help. If your home is newly built it may be damp because the water used during its construction (for example, in plaster) is still drying out. How can I beat condensation? There is a lot you can do to reduce the amount of condensation in your home. 1. Produce less moisture Many ordinary daily activities produce a lot of moisture very quickly. So: P cover pans and don't leave kettles boiling

4 P do not use paraffin or portable bottle gas heaters. Using these heaters also means you are breaking your tenancy agreement P dry washing outdoors. If it's raining, put it in the bathroom with the door closed and the window open, or the fan on P put the outlet pipe of your tumble dryer through an outside wall, not out of a window. 2. Ventilate your home You can ventilate your home without making draughts. So: P keep a small window ajar P open a window ventilator if you have one P open kitchen and bathroom windows to let steam out or use an extractor fan or cooker hood if you have one P close kitchen and bathroom doors when the rooms are in use, even if you have an extractor fan, to stop moisture reaching other rooms P don't over fill wardrobes and cupboards, it stops the air circulating P if you replace your windows, make sure they have ventilators. Remember you need our permission to put in new windows P don't block ventilators or chimneys. info@parkwaygreen.co.uk

5 3. Insulate, draught proof and heat your home You can help cut your fuel bills and stay warmer with a few simple steps that also help reduce condensation. So: P insulate your loft but don't block the openings or under the eaves P in cold weather, keep the heating on low all day even when there's no-one at home P draught-proof windows and doors but get rid of mould and condensation first. Don't draught-proof bathrooms, kitchens or rooms with a cooker or gas fire. How can I get rid of mould? If you have had condensation in particular places for some time, a black mould may form. To remove this: P wipe down walls and window frames with a fungicidal wash - make sure it carries a Health and Safety Executive approval number. Follow the instructions carefully. Dry-clean mildewed clothes and shampoo carpets P after treatment, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint. Don't paint over with ordinary paints or wall papers. Remember though, if you don t take steps to reduce condensation, mould may well form again.

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7 To get this leaflet in Braille, large print or on tape: Phone: Textphone: Arabic Chinese Farsi French Pour recevoir ces informations dans d autres langues, en Braille, en gros caractères, ou sur bande sonore, prière d appeler le numéro de téléphone ci-dessous. Hindi Kurdish Somali Si aad u hesho macluumaadkaani oo ku qoran luqad kasta, tan indhoolaha, daabacaad balaaran ama cajal ku duuban fadlan telefoonka hoos ku qoran: Urdu Vietnamese

8 Contact us By phone Phone this number for any Parkway Green service or to arrange an appointment for us to visit you, 8am pm, Monday to Friday. By info@parkwaygreen.co.uk By post Parkway Green Housing Trust Parkway Green House 460 Palatine Road Northenden M22 4DJ In person Visit our local offices: Parkway Green House 460 Palatine Road, Northenden, M22 4DJ or 137 Bowland Road, Baguley, M23 1LE Our offices are accessible to disabled people