How to Deal with Condensation in Your Home

As many as one in five UK homes suffers from condensation.  This can lead to problems with damp and mould that can affect health and damage the fabric of the property. 

What is the main cause of condensation

Condensation occurs when warm, moist air meets a cool surface such as a window pane.  When this happens, the capacity of the air to hold moisture falls and the surplus water forms into droplets.  On non-porous materials like glass, the condensation forms beads of water on the surface which can easily be seen and wiped away.  On porous materials like wood or plaster, condensation soaks through the surface and builds up to form damp patches where mould can thrive.

Many everyday activities release moisture into the air.  Cooking, washing, drying clothes, bathing, and breathing add water vapour into the air.  In fact, in an average household with 4 people, around 8 litres of water vapour are released into the indoor air each day!

Condensation is a bigger problem in winter.  With windows closed most of the time, it is harder for the moist air to escape the building and is also more likely to come into contact with cooler surfaces such as exterior walls where it will form into condensation.

What happens if Condensation is not Treated

In and of itself, condensation is not a big issue, however if you do not take steps to deal with it, it leads to much bigger problems in the form of damp and mould.

Damp occurs when moisture is allowed to soak into a surface such as plaster or wood.  The presence of damp can lead to crumbling plasterwork on your walls that is expensive to repair, but also leads to the growth of mould.

Moulds including the dangerous toxic black mould thrive on damp surfaces.  These moulds are unsightly, but also present a health risk.  As moulds grow, they release spores into the air that, when inhaled, can cause an allergic reaction and contribute to poor respiratory health.

Things you can do to deal with condensation.

There are a number of practical steps that you can take to reduce condensation. 

Simple changes such as ensuring that you keep pans covered while boiling, and close kitchen and bathroom doors when in use can help prevent moisture from those rooms spreading through your home and finding places to settle.

Avoiding drying clothes indoors and ensuring that you keep windows open to improve air flow will also help to reduce the amount of condensation that is able to develop.

These steps can only go so far in preventing damp though.  In order to protect your home all year round, you need to improve your ventilation.

Simple extractor fans in your main wet rooms – bathrooms and kitchen – draw moisture laden air out of the house and prevent it escaping onto cool surfaces in other rooms.  More advanced systems such as Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) offer whole house solutions that ensure fresh air is provided through every room and can stop condensation altogether.

Find out more

If you are having problems with condensation in your home and want to prevent the risk of damp, improving your ventilation can help.  Contact us today to book a free home survey from one of our local specialists.  They will be able to provide you with advice about the cause of condensation in your home and advise you about the best solution for your needs.

 

One of our local experts will contact you to learn more about your problems, offer free expert advice and make recommendations for a solution.

During the free survey we will