Condensation is a common problem amongst households across the UK but there are simple measures to help prevent condensation from occurring in your house. No one wants to live in a house that is suffering from damp and mould issues.
The only way to stop condensation is to get to the root cause of why it is occurring in the first place. In this article, we will provide with you some handy tips on reducing the amount of moisture within your property and therefore preventing the build up of condensation.
Brief Overview of Condensation
To understand how to prevent condensation, it is important to understand what condensation is and how it is formed. Condensation occurs when warm air in a property absorbs moisture. Then, as the property cools down the moisture in the air condenses onto the nearest cold surface such as a wall or window.
Tell Tales Signs of Condensation
There are a number of clear signs to look out for when identifying condensation:
- Water droplets on the windowsill
- Wallpaper peeling off the walls
- Damp musty smell
- Black mould spots on the walls
Which Areas of Your House Are Most Affected by Condensation?
The areas of your house that are most affected by condensation are predominately the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. The reason why condensation favours these rooms, in particular, is quite simple. These are the rooms where the most moisture is generated.
What Are the Problems Associated with Condensation?
One of the biggest issues associated with condensation is the damage it can cause to your home. If condensation is not dealt with earlier enough then black mould issues can arise and cause damage to your property as well as your furniture. Severe cases of timber affected by condensation can lead to dry rot and wet rot which can lead to structural damage to your building.
Damage to your property is not the only problem caused by condensation, it can also lead to issues with your health as well. If you suffer with asthma, then damp and mould can further aggravate the problem. Severe mould issues can also lead to inflammation of skin conditions such as dermatitis.
How to Prevent Condensation
If you have noticed black mould spots on the walls, water droplets or any of the other signs that are listed above then don’t panic! There are simple preventative measures you can carry out by yourself to alleviate the situation.
Ventilate Your Property
The key to preventing condensation is the reduction of moisture levels within the property. There is obviously going to be some moisture in your house though, that is inevitable. One of the easiest ways of reducing moisture is to simply open windows and doors as much as possible.
This is especially applicable if you live in a small flat where there may not be sufficient ventilation in place. If there is nowhere for the moisture to go then condensation will inevitably start to build up.
Adding ‘trickle vents’ to your existing windows, if they are not already in place, is a good solution to increase the airflow within the property and allow the moisture laden air to escape.
Maintain a Consistent Temperature Within the House
As we have already explained, condensation occurs when warm air condenses onto a cold surface. To prevent this from happening you should try and keep your home’s temperature consistently warm. By doing this, you will eliminate cold spots and reduce the chances of warm air condensing onto a cooler surface.
Make sure that the heating is regulated to ensure that your house does not have surges of heat and then sudden drops in temperature. It is also a good idea to heat the whole house instead of just one or two rooms. Regulating the temperature of your home is important especially during the winter months of the year.
Try Not to Dry Clothes Indoors
Trying not to dry your clothes indoors might be easier said than done, especially during the winter months of the year. While it might be harder to dry your clothes outside during these months, there are measures you can take to ensure you keep the moisture levels down to a minimum inside.
You should try and dry your clothes in the bathroom if possible and then make sure your extractor fans are on to allow the moisture laden air to escape. If you own a tumble dryer at your house, then use it when you can. It is important to note that tumble dryers also increase moisture levels so you should make sure the tumble dryer is properly ventilated.
If you cannot dry your clothes in the bathroom, then make sure the windows are open in whichever room they are being dried in.
Keep the Lids on the Pans When Cooking
If there is poor ventilation within the kitchen then one way of helping reduce moisture build up is to keep lids on the pans when cooking. This will stop the steam building up in the kitchen and therefore reduce the chances of condensation occurring.
Keep Extractor Fans Turned On
We have mentioned a few times in this article about the use of extractor fans and that is because they play an important part in preventing the build up of condensation within your home.
Extractor fans both in your kitchen and bathroom should be turned on before and after carrying out your daily activities. Having extractor fans turned on will help remove the excess moisture from both kitchen and bathrooms.
One factor that is not often considered among homeowners is that extractor fans should also be maintained regularly and checked to see that nothing is blocking the airflow.
Use a Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers are an inexpensive solution to help reduce the amount of moisture in the air whilst maintaining the humidity levels in the property. You should place these in areas of the house which have the highest amount of moisture built up.
There are a few potential issues that you should be aware of when considering dehumidifiers. The first thing to consider is that if they are not plumbed in they will need to be regularly emptied.
If the dehumidifiers are not emptied, then black mould can start to build up which would defeat the purpose of having it in the first place. Using a dehumidifier will only work well if the house is breathable e.g. there is good ventilation.
How Can We Help?
We hope these handy tips have helped you understand what measures you can put in place to prevent condensation from occurring in your house. Due to the long winter months, we have in Britain, it is not always possible to prevent condensation so you should try and control the problem.
Ventilation is the key to controlling condensation and if you are already suffering severe cases of condensation, then you can contact one of the experts here at Timberwise for more help. To contact us you can either call us on 0800 288 8660 or contact us online for a quick call back.
