How to prevent
condensation, mould
and damp in your home
First things first...
What exactly is condensation?
It’s the name of the process whereby air
that’s laden with moisture changes from
a vapour into a liquid.
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What causes condensation?
Condensation happens when warm, humid air (the steam from your kettle or shower,
for example) comes into contact with a cooler surface (like a window or interior wall).
The three main culprits in the home are too much moisture, not enough ventilation
and cool temperatures.
So where does the moisture actually come from in the first place?
You won’t be at all surprised to discover that cooking, washing and drying clothes
indoors can all add significant levels of moisture to the air. But what you may not
know is that many other everyday activities add moisture too, such as using portable
gas and paraffin heaters, and topping up fish tanks. Breathing also increases moisture
levels in the air, but we’d like you to continue doing that, of course!
And where does the moisture end up?
Condensation can appear on and next to windows, in the corners and edges of rooms,
and behind and inside wardrobes and cupboards – especially if they are against an
external wall.
Why is condensation bad news at home?
You need to control and reduce condensation in your home because if you don’t, it
can damage your belongings, floor coverings and walls.
How much moisture are we talking
about during a typical day?
Believe it or not, in an average two-person home,
the amount of moisture produced each day amounts
to a whopping 24 pints! Seems incredible, we
know, but here’s how it breaks down:
Two active people for one day
1
2
3
Bathing or showering
1
2
Washing
clothes
1
Drying clothes
1
2
3
4
5
6
Using a heater fuelled by paraffin
or bottled gas
7
8
9
1
2
3
5
6
Cooking and kettles
1
2
3
4
Combating condensation
– a three-pronged approach
1 Reduce moisture levels
Cooking:
• Close your kitchen door, put the extractor fan on and
open a window if you can – that way, the moisture
you’re creating won’t be able to move to other parts of
your home
• Always put lids on boiling pans and use the extractor
fan if you have one
Baths and showers:
• Close your bathroom door and open a window (or put
the extractor fan on), to prevent the moisture from
moving to other parts of your home
• If you run a bath, reduce steam levels by adding the
cold water first
Laundry:
• Dry clothes
outside – if this
isn’t possible,
dry them in
the bathroom
with the door
closed and the
window open (or
extractor fan on)
• Check that your tumble drier is
properly vented to the outside
Miscellaneous:
• Fit a lid on top of your fish tank
2 Increase ventilation
• Open a window – near the source
of the moisture if possible
• Keep trickle vents open as much
as possible
• Move furniture away from the
walls slightly, to allow air to
circulate behind them
• Check that the airbricks and vents in your walls are kept clear
3 Raise the temperature
• Try to heat your whole home, not just
one room
• When it’s cold outside, leave the central
heating on low all the time. This is because:
– Raising the temperature of the walls
reduces the risk of condensation forming on them
– If room temperatures fluctuate repeatedly, you may end
up with a mould problem
If you follow the three-pronged approach outlined above, you should be able to
put a stop to problematic condensation in your home.
But if you’ve already got patches of black mould in your property, following our
top tips alone won’t get rid of them – you’ll need to take further action.
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Mould is a fungus that develops from
airborne spores. It doesn’t always grow
in the room where the moisture comes
from and can often be found on and
around windows on cold mornings,
especially between October and April.
It can also appear on walls and behind
cupboards and wardrobes.
If you spot mould in your home, wash
it off and treat it with diluted bleach or
a fungicidal wash (available from most
DIY and hardware stores).
CAUTION:
• If you’re using a fungicidal cleaning
solution to tackle small areas of
mould, pay close attention to the
manufacturer’s health and safety
instructions; wear protective
eyewear, gloves and a face mask;
and make sure you open windows
or use a fan in the room where
you’re working
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Not all dampness in the home is caused
by condensation. Sometimes it occurs
because of:
• Leaking pipes (internal or external)
• Leaks in the roof – perhaps you
have broken, missing or faulty tiles,
guttering or chimney flashings?
• Rising damp, resulting from defects
in your damp proof course, rendering
or mortar joints, or from blocked
cavities.
These types of damp problem can occur
at any time of the year and often leave
a tell-tale ‘tide mark’.
If you’re concerned about
condensation, mould or dampness
in your home, call our Customer
Services team for advice on
01462 683307.
or
If damp in
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your property
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howard
cottage
housing association
Striving for excellence
in all that we do
... in the ways that we work,
... in the homes we build and maintain,
... in the communities we serve.
Contact details
Howard Cottage Housing Association
Pioneer House
Norton Way South
Letchworth Garden City
Hertfordshire SG6 1NY
Telephone: 01462 683307
www.howard-cottage.co.uk
A charitable housing association
0914
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