Keeping your home free from Condensation, Mould and Damp
Keeping your home free from Condensation, Mould and Damp This leaflet explains what damp and condensation is, how to prevent it and gives you tips on how to reduce it. Damp in the home is usually caused by a leak from a roof or plumbing and often leaves a tidemark. Condensation is usually caused by the way we live in everyday activities such as cooking, washing and bathing. What is damp? Damp can be caused by: Leaking pipes, wastes or overflows. Excessive water spillages in the bathroom and leaks around the bath (edges need to be sealed to the tiles with silicone sealant). not using a shower curtain or screen correctly. Rain seeping through the roof where a tile is missing or cracked and rain spilling from a blocked gutter or entering around windows. Ineffective damp proof course or in older houses there may not be any damp proofing. Pooling of water against house walls. If your home is newly built it may be damp because the water used during its construction (e.g. in plaster) is still drying out. If you do not think the damp comes from any of these causes, it is probably condensation. What is condensation? There is always some moisture in the air even if you can t see it. When the air gets colder, it can not hold all the moisture and tiny drops of water appear this is condensation. You may notice it when you see your breath on a cold day or when the mirror in the bathroom mists over when you have a bath or shower. Condensation mainly occurs during cold weather regardless of whether it is raining or dry. It tends to appear on cold surfaces and places where there is little or no movement of air, in the corners of rooms, near windows or behind cupboards and wardrobes. Every home gets condensation at some time usually when lots of moisture and steam are being produced. Cooking, washing, and even breathing can cause moisture, which is released into the air. It is normal to find bedroom windows misted up in the morning after a cold night and does not mean you have a serious condensation problem.
What you can do to prevent condensation? These simple tips will help prevent condensation occurring in your home. Put less water in the air Dry clothes outside or hang washing in the bathroom with the door closed and a window slightly open or an extractor fan on. Don t put washing on radiators or in front of radiant heaters. If using a tumble dryer make sure it is vented to the outside or that it is of the new condensing type. Put a small amount of cold water in a bath before running the hot water this reduces steam (which leads to condensation) by 90%. Do not run your shower for longer than required. Mop up condensation or water every day. Dry your windows and windowsills every morning, as well as any wet surfaces in the kitchen or bathroom but be sure to wring out the cloth rather than dry it on a radiator. You can catch condensation dripping from windows with condensation channels and sponge strips (available from DIY shops). Stop water vapour spreading Shut kitchen and bathroom doors when cooking and bathing. Use cooker hoods/extractor fans or open windows when cooking. Heating your home Warm air holds more moisture than cooler air and is therefore less likely to deposit droplets of water round your home. Heat your home more evenly. Heating one room to a high level and leaving other rooms cold makes condensation worse in the unheated rooms. It is better to have a medium to low level of heat throughout the house. It is cheaper to keep your central heating on at a low level than to use electric fires. It is also better to try to maintain a low heat than to heat the house twice a day from cold. If you don t have heating in every room, open doors of unheated rooms slightly to allow some heat into them. Don t push beds or sofas against radiators as this prevents efficient circulation of warm air. Avoid using bottled gas or paraffin heaters as they produce a lot of moisture.
Ventilate your home Ventilation reduces condensation by removing moist air from your home and replacing it with drier air from outside. Keep a small window ajar or trickle vents open at all times. Ventilate kitchens and bathrooms when in use by opening windows to remove the humid air. Use extractor fans if you have them. Heat recovery fans are expensive but can be a good investment as they are very good for ventilating wet rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens. They are more effective than ordinary fans, since they get rid of the moisture from the air and let fresh air in, and also recycle the heat back into your home. Ventilate your kitchen and bathroom for about 20 minutes after use by opening a small top window. Use an extractor fan if possible they are cheap to run and very effective. Use a dehumidifier if you have one. These are cheap to run and the drier atmosphere they create will be easier and cheaper to heat. Ventilate your bedroom by leaving a window slightly open at night, or use trickle ventilators if fitted. Close kitchen and bathroom doors when in use. Make sure other doors in the home are closed when the kitchen or bathroom are in use. Do not put wardrobes against external walls. To reduce the risk of mildew on clothes and other stored items, allow air to circulate round them by removing false wardrobe backs or drilling holes in them. You can place furniture on blocks to allow air to circulate underneath. Keep furniture away from walls to allow the air to circulate.
Keeping your home free from Condensation, Mould and Damp Don t push beds and sofas against outside walls which are always colder and attract condensation. Make sure there is a 9 inch (22.5 cm) gap. Bedding can get damp if air cannot circulate around it. However, don t over ventilate your home in cold weather as this will reduce the temperature inside making condensation more likely as well as increasing heating costs. Make sure to keep your home secure at all times and close windows before you go out! Dealing with mould Treat any mould you have in your property by washing walls and window frames with a fungicidal wash that carries a health and safety executive approval number. Follow the manufacturer s guidelines. After treatment, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint and a fungicidal resistant wall paper paste to help prevent mould growth recurring. The effect of fungicidal or anti-condensation paint is destroyed if covered with ordinary paint or wallpaper. Dry-clean mildewed clothes and shampoo any carpets. Don t try to remove mould by using a brush or vacuum cleaner. If you do this and follow the other advice given above, mould should not reappear. The only lasting way to avoid severe mould is to reduce the relative humidity and condensation by properly heating and ventilating your home.
Elmbridge Housing Trust and Richmond upon Thames Churches Housing Trust are part of Paragon. Case House 85 89 High Street Walton-On-Thames Surrey KT12 1DZ T 0300 123 2221 F 01932 235 701 E info@paragonchg.co.uk Your Needs If you would like to receive this information in large print, or translated over the telephone, please call us. www.paragonchg.co.uk Original Original date date of issue: of issue: January September 2015 2014