CONDENSATION IN YOUR HOME - Tips and tricks on how you can prevent or manage condensation in your home - Rock Trust
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CONDENSATION IN
YOUR HOME
Tips and tricks on how you can prevent or
manage condensation in your home.
First of all, what is condensation? So, what causes condensation?
Condensation is moisture that can cause mould growth in your Simple everyday tasks in your home produce condensation and
home. It occurs when warm moist wet air, produced by something as mould throughout the property, if not being dealt with correctly, for
simple as cooking or showering, comes into contact with a cold example:
surface like a window or wall. Droplets of water will then appear on
surfaces around your home and can lead to a range of problems such When cooking, not putting lids on pans to avoid steam escaping.
as rotting window frames, peeling wallpaper and mould on walls, Similarly, not opening windows when taking a bath or shower.
carpets or even clothes. Drying clothes inside your home. Try drying clothes outside on a
washing line. If you do not have access to dry your clothes
You might see patches of black mould on windows, in corners, in or outside, then use a clothes horse instead of radiators as drying
behind wardrobes and even on bedding and furnishings (see some clothes on radiators is one of the easiest ways to create
images below). It often forms on north-facing walls and gets worse unwanted warm wet moisture in the home, leading to
in winter. You might also notice a musty smell. condensation.
Not ventilating the property so this warm moist unwanted air
It is important to understand that condensation can encourage can escape the property is also a huge factor.
mould growth and dust mites, and this increases the risk of illnesses
like asthma and bronchitis. Remember, some level of
dampness is normal in the
Wondering what it looks like? Here you go… home but you need to
ventilate by opening
windows so it can escape.
This will be covered later in
the booklet when we go
over the steps you can take
to deal with condensation
in your property.
It’s also worth noting that condensation can also be created as a
result of faults in the home; leaking pipes, a damaged roof, blocked
gutters, gaps around window frames and cracked or defective
rendering and brickwork. All of these problems can be remedied by a
professional tradesperson. Please speak to Rock Trust if you are
having any of these issues with your property.
Page 2
Okay, so why is condensation bad?
First of all, try to produce less moisture...
It’s expensive…
Condensation leads to more expensive bills as the You can do this by keeping the lids on when cooking.
home becomes harder to heat and maintain at an Drying clothes outdoors (and especially not on radiators),
adequate temperature. otherwise hang it in a room with the door shut and window
open. Use the extractor fan if there is one.
Venting your tumble dryer to the outside.
Avoid using paraffin heaters or flue-less bottled gas heaters
It’s bad for your health…
which produce a lot of moisture.
Condensation encourages mould growth and also
Open windows when taking a bath or shower.
dust mites, and this will increase the risk of
illnesses like asthma and bronchitis.
Secondly, you need to have more ventilation
in the property…
It’s unsightly…
In short, condensation does not look good! It can Good ventilation is key for the air quality in your home and will
very quickly make your flat seem run down and not help circulate any moisture that is hanging around. If your
looked after, which is not the case! Mould can form windows have trickle vents - these are small vents in the frames
on not only walls and ceilings but also furniture, of modern windows, keep them open. When you are cooking or
bedding and even clothes. The mould can be black showering, make sure you are using extractor fans too.
and grow to large sizes, especially if the problem is Letting in fresh air is a great way to combat moisture too –
not treated. Apart from the visual side of things, opening your windows for even five to ten minutes a day can
the function of the property can also be affected… make a big difference.
think peeling wallpaper and damp spots! Extractor fans are an effective way to get rid of moist air and
steam so that less condensation forms.
When cooking or bathing, keep the kitchen or bathroom door
But it’s not all bad news, there shut and open the window so that the steam goes outside
instead of spreading throughout the property.
are lots of things you can do to
Regularly air cupboards and wardrobes, and avoid putting too
prevent condensation. Let's much in them as this stops air circulating.
take a look... Leave a gap between furniture and walls.
Page 3 Page 4
If you already have mould on your walls and ceilings, then you need
Insulating and draught-proofing your home
to clean it off properly. An effective two-stage method is to start by
will also help…
cleaning off the mould with spray containing bleach. This will help
remove the staining that persistent mould can leave behind. Leave
Warm homes suffer less from condensation, so you should make
to dry overnight and then spray the affected area with an anti-
sure your house is as well insulated as you can make it.
fungal wash and allow that to dry. Always follow the manufacturer’s
Draught-proof internal kitchen and bathroom doors to help
instructions and consider wearing a face mask when spraying.
keep moisture from spreading throughout the house. Please
speak to RT about draught proofing equipment.
You could also treat the affected area with a mould-resistant paint,
available from most major hardware stores. Speak to Rock Trust for
support with this.
There are also some things you must never do…
Never block air bricks or trickle vents.
Never completely block chimneys – fit a ventilation grille.
Never draught-proof windows in rooms where there is
condensation or mould.
I already have Other helpful equipment to manage condensation.
mould…how do You can catch condensation dripping from windows with
condensation channels and sponge strips (available from DIY shops).
I get rid of it? If you wipe down windows and sills in the morning this will also help
but be sure to wring out the cloth rather than dry it on a radiator.
In extreme circumstances, you may need to invest in a dehumidifier.
These can help a lot but cost anything from £40 to over £200 and
larger ones can be quite costly to run. Please speak to Rock Trust if
you think you may need one of these.
Page 5 Page 6CONDENSATION IN
YOUR HOME
Thank you for reading and we hope you
found it useful!
Any Questions?
Contact us on:
hello@rocktrust.org
0345 222 1425
rocktrust.org
@rocktrust_tweet
@theRockTrust
Registered Scottish Charity No. SCO18708. Scottish Company No. 146616You can also read
