Damp, mould and condensation

What causes mould

During the winter months, many properties suffer from damp and mould growth due to condensation.

We can all make small changes to the way we live in our homes to prevent mould which is normally caused by a build-up of condensation in our homes.

Top tips

Let light enter your home

Moist and dark spaces are breeding grounds for mould, so ensure your curtains are open during the day to allow natural light and fresh air to enter the room.

Keep air moisture to a minimum

The key to prevention is keeping air moisture to a minimum. Dry any condensation that may be gathering on your walls, ceilings, and windowsills. Dehumidifiers can also help to remove moisture from the air.

Try to keep your bathroom and kitchen doors shut tightly and keep your windows open while cooking.

Remove any excess moisture

To prevent mould and condensation forming, it’s a good idea to dry and wipe any areas with excess moisture. This could be your bedroom windows for example, after a night’s sleep, just wipe them down with a dry cloth.

Ensure your home is well-ventilated

Ventilation is key when it comes to tackling condensation. If you experience condensation issues often, you’ll need to tackle your home’s humidity by ventilating. This can be achieved by opening trickle vents on windows or slightly opening a window.

Keep your home sealed from water

If you have any concerns regarding water entering your home, please contact us.

Heat your home

During the winter, heat your home efficiently, at a constant low temperature of 18ºC, to prevent condensation forming because of changes in warmth. With the cost of living crisis you may not want to put your heating on, but this can cause problems. If you are struggling, please contact our Advice team who will do everything they can to help you.

What are humidity and condensation?

Humidity

Humidity is one of the most common reasons mould occurs. That’s why mould is primarily found in kitchens and bathrooms where steam often appears from showering and cooking, resulting in more humid conditions than in other rooms.

Condensation

There is always some moisture in the air, even if you can’t see it. If warm air gets cold, it cannot hold all the moisture produced by everyday activities and some of this moisture appears as tiny droplets of water. It’s most noticeable on windows on a cold morning.

This is condensation.

Condensation occurs in cold weather, even when the weather is dry.

Look for condensation in your home. It can appear on or near windows, in corners and in or behind wardrobes and cupboards.

Condensation forms on cold surfaces and places where there is little movement of air and will sit on the surface, whereas damp would penetrate deeper than the surface.

To prevent condensation, take the following steps

• Make less moisture by drying your clothes outside not on radiators.
• If you’re using a tumble dryer, please make sure it’s vented correctly.
• Running the cold tap before the hot tap in the bath and putting lids on saucepans.
• Ventilate your home by opening windows or trickle vents.
• Using extractor fans if you have them, they typically cost one penny per day to run.
• Heat your home efficiently, at a constant low temperature of 18ºC, using a thermostat to control your heating, rather than quick blasts of heat. This is the most efficient way of heating your home, and costs less than turning heating on and off. If you don’t think your heating is working correctly, please get in contact with us.
• Please avoid using bottled gas or paraffin heaters they are not only dangerous, but also generate a lot of moisture and produce carbon monoxide. Please ensure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm in the same room if you do use them, we can provide these free of charge.
• Close bathroom and kitchen doors when you use them. It is also a good idea to keep bedroom doors closed, as these rooms are normally colder and can attract moisture.
• Ventilate cupboards and wardrobes and avoid putting too much in them as this stops the air circulating.
• Keep furniture away from the walls to allow air to circulate.

What we will do

• We will send a member of staff or a Melin approved contractor to come and look at your property.
• They will assess the property and identify the causes and repairs required.
• They will complete a condensation and damp checklist, which ensures a thorough inspection of the property and consistency.
• Once the work is carried out, a quality assurance check will be completed to ensure the work completed has resolved the previous issue.
• A guide on how to manage condensation in your home will be issued along with a Therma-Hygrometer which will provide a good visual indication to moisture and condensation levels in your home.
• We will provide a follow up check three months after any work is completed to ensure the issue has been resolved.
• If you have any further problems before we come back to check your home, please get in contact with us.