20/10/2020
As we move into winter, it’s harder to keep your home warm. This means it’s harder to avoid condensation and damp which can cause mould. So, here are some tips to help keep your home healthier, warmer, and safer.
What is condensation?
Condensation is when water vapour in the air becomes liquid. You usually find it on the inside of windows as little drops of water.
Condensation might not seem like a problem, but it can cause damp and mould which can be bad for your health.
How condensation causes mould
Mould is a fungus that grows in damp conditions, caused by excess moisture in the air. There are invisible mould spores naturally in the air, which are harmless, but when they mix with water they can grow. If mould starts to develop, it releases more spores that grow quickly and can be harmful to your health.
How condensation and mould can affect your health
Mould can cause and trigger asthma
Asthma is a long-term respiratory condition that makes breathing difficult. It usually starts in childhood, but long-term exposure to mould can cause it in adults who’ve never had asthma symptoms before.
Mould can trigger an allergic reaction
If you’re allergic to mould, it can cause a sore throat, runny nose, and irritate your eyes.
Headaches and dizziness
Mould can also cause headaches and dizziness. The symptoms may be mild unless you’ve been exposed to mould for a long time.
How to help prevent mould and condensation
Keep your home ventilated
Open windows at least once a day, keep window trickle vents open, and air vents uncovered. It’s important that air can move through your home as ventilation is one of the best ways to avoid mould, as flowing air means spores can’t settle somewhere and absorb water.
Limit water getting into the air
There are plenty of ways that water can escape into the air during the day that are so common we don’t notice it.
Close doors and open windows when you have a bath or shower, cook, or boil a kettle. This helps stop water vapour escaping into the rest of the house.
Running cold water before the hot water when you run a bath reduces steam.
Lids on pots and pans stops moisture escaping.
An extractor fan helps reduce moisture and costs very little to run.
Wipe water droplets off windows.
If you dry wet clothes indoors, open windows and avoid hanging on radiators. If you can afford to, buy a dryer with a condenser.
Give air room to move
A small gap between walls and furniture is enough to allow air to flow and stop mould from forming.
Use a fungicidal spray on mould
You can buy special fungicidal spray to destroy mould. Bleach and other cleaning products will remove it, but don’t kill it, so it will come back. Only a special spray will kill the mould.
Keep a consistent temperature
Keeping your home warm is another way to help avoid mould.
Heating your home to a constant temperature encourages the heat to circulate. This is better than turning it up high for short periods which can leave areas vulnerable to mould.
How to keep warm during winter
Stop draughts
When cold air moves through your home it can take heat out with it. You can stop draughts by using draught excluders. Our repairs team can also help with fixing draughts.
Keep warm air in
It’s easier to keep your home warm than to heat it up from being cold, so aim for a constant 18 – 21°C.
Set your heating system to come on just before you get up and switch off after you’ve gone to bed.
Close curtains before it gets dark and when you’re out of the house to reduce warm air escaping.
Cover floors with rugs and carpet.
Winter is the busiest time of the year for our heating contractors, so if you have heating or hot water issues when it’s cold, please report it as soon as possible to avoid a delay in getting the problem fixed.
Support with the cost of living
We know the increased cost of living is likely to make issues with damp and mould worse, as people find it harder to heat their homes during the winter months.
If you’re struggling with your bills, please get in touch or visit our Cost of Living support page for more help and advice.
Learn how to report mould to usCheck out our home repair tips