Controlling condensation in the home24/11/2011
One in five homes in the UK is affected by condensation. Daily tasks such as bathing, showering, cooking and washing are main attributes to condensation problems as they produce a significant amount of moisture. Believe it or not - even breathing can add to condensation in the home! If you have four people in a property, they will create a whopping sixteen pints of moisture per day. So, how can you reduce condensation in your home and what happens if it’s left untreated?
Condensation is the most common cause of damp and occurs when the temperature of a surface is below the dew point of the surrounding air. The reason why so many homes in the UK are affected by condensation problems is simply because people can’t avoid performing everyday routines that result in the release of so much moisture.
Unfortunately, a vast majority of homes leave condensation problems untreated and this is when problems occur. Condensation can lead to mould growth, resulting in the dispersion of mould spores. Mould spores can seriously take its toll on the health of those living in the mould-affected property, so it’s best to identify the condensation problems in your home before it’s too late.
Condensation is even more of a problem in winter as various heating methods such as double glazing will trap the humid stale air inside – the moisture simply has no way of getting out. Here are a few short-term methods to help reduce the level of condensation in your home…
- When you go for a shower or you’re using the bath, shut the bathroom door to trap in the moisture. This will prevent the water vapour from going into the other rooms in the house.
- When you’re cooking, shut the kitchen door (if possible) and open the kitchen windows. An open window provides the perfect escape for water vapour released from the heat in the kitchen.
- Keeping the lids on all of your saucepans while cooking will also help reduce the amount of moisture.
- Try not to use your radiators as a method of drying your laundry unless your home is well ventilated. Instead, hang them outside. If you do have to dry your laundry inside then keep all windows open so the moisture in the air has a way of escaping.
- Try to avoid using paraffin and/or portable gas heaters as these release a lot of moisture into the air. If these are your only means of keeping warm this winter then open the windows a little.
The most effective, efficient and long-term solution of reducing condensation in the home is to keep it well ventilated. Luckily, you can say goodbye to condensation and mould with EnviroVent’s energy efficient ventilation solutions.
EnviroVent have a range of ventilation products designed to minimise the amount of moisture in the home including Positive Input Ventilation (PIV). This ventilation system is a concept designed to filter fresh air throughout your home and can diminish various other humidity-based problems.
