Fixing damp and condensation
In this guide we’ll show you what you need to do to get rid of damp and condensation yourself, and when you might need to call in a professional.
A build-up of moisture can cause a series of problems and can possibly damage the fabric of your house if it’s allowed to continue. If mould does start to grow, it can affect the health of the occupants.
There are several ways moisture can get into your home:
- Through leaking roofs, rain can get in, damaged or blocked guttering, poorly fitted doors and windows and leaky walls.
- Poorly sealed baths and showers, faulty plumbing and failed appliances
- If the damp proof course isn’t working properly, groundwater can rise up through the floor and walls
- Moisture is added all the time just by breathing, as well as cooking, having a shower or hot bath, drying clothes and from our pets and even our house plants
If rainwater is getting into your house or you have any internal leaks or signs of damp then it’s vitally important that you get the problem sorted out ASAP. This is where you’ll need to get the help of a professional to come in and advise you.
Managing damp and condensation in the home
Moisture from the air creates condensation when it comes into contact with a cold surface such as a window or a door. Everyone gets condensation on their windows from time to time, but this isn’t necessarily a problem if it clears up quickly.
When is it a problem?
It will be a problem if the water builds up to the point where it begins to cause damage and if this build-up is somewhere other than on the window, you might not see it if the wallpaper starts to peel or you get black mould growing. This will often happen in places where it’s colder than the rest of the house, such as gaps in the insulation and where air cannot freely circulate such as behind furniture.
If there’s mould growing, it’s important to wipe it off right away to reduce any health risks, but you will also need to fix the underlying damp problem to prevent it from coming back. If there’s no leaks or rising damp, then the problem will be condensation. There’s plenty of things you can do to avoid these problems such as:
- Keep your lids on your pans when cooking to reduce the amount of moisture produced, if you use a tumble dryer, ensure it’s vented to the outside
- Always use the extractor fan when cooking or showering, make sure all your window vents are open and don’t block off any other vents.
- Ensure that air can circulate by leaving gaps between furniture and the wall
- Consider adding more ventilation – this could be a new external vent in a problem corner, a new extractor fan, or even a whole-house ventilation system if you need it
- If you’re getting a professional to fit insulation, draught-proofing or new windows/doors, ask them what they have done to check that ventilation will still be adequate.
About Thermatic Homes
Thermatic Homes is a national M&E contractor based in Greater Manchester that provides a one-stop solution for housing associations, from mechanical and electrical services, to build services, renewable energy installations and training.
