‘Condensation dampness’ is a condition that affects millions of homes in the UK. This guide should help you control and prevent condensation and mould within your property.
Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces or there is too much humidity in a property that can’t escape.
If this happens regularly, mould may start to grow – usually on cold outside walls and surfaces and in places where the air does not circulate well. Look out for the following signs that may indicate excessive dampness in your property:
The most vulnerable areas will either be rooms where a large amount of moisture is produced, i.e., bathroom and kitchen, or on cold surfaces in other rooms where this moisture can travel to.
The following areas are particularly prone to condensation:
The effects of this process may be visible, for example droplets of water on gloss painted windowsills, but often the water droplets will soak into the wall and a problem will not be diagnosed until black mould patches start to appear.
Consider this: when an adult is asleep for approximately 8 hours, they exhale approximately two litres of liquid. If your windows are closed and there is no other ventilation, there will be condensation present.
| ???????????????? | = | ???? | = | ???? |
| 4 PEOPLE IN THE AVERAGE PROPERTY | CREATES 16 PINTS OF MOISTURE PER DAY | THAT AMOUNTS TO 112 PINTS OF MOISTURE PER WEEK |
Condensation usually occurs in winter because the building is cold, and windows are opened less so moist air cannot escape. It is most often caused by one of the following:
There are basically 3 main ways to address condensation. Please follow these tips to prevent it becoming a serious issue in your home:
Damp occurs when a fault in the building’s basic structure lets in water from outside. There are two types of damp: penetrating damp and rising damp.
Penetrating damp occurs when water is coming in through the walls or roof, (for example, under a loose roof tile, leaking pipes or waste overflow) or through cracks.
Rising damp is rare but if this occurs there is a problem with the damp proof course. This is a barrier built into floors and walls to stop moisture rising through the house from the ground. The usual evidence of rising damp is a ‘tide mark’ on the walls that shows how high it has risen. There is also a musty smell.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team hello@horizonmanagement.co.uk
Click here to contact one of our friendly team who will be happy to help
