Dealing with
condensation
and mould
Condensation can be a problem in certain types of housing.
However the good news is that it is very easy to prevent.
This leaflet outlines the causes of condensation and explains
how you can reduce the risk of condensation in your home.
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Our responsibility
• We will make sure you are able to ventilate your property.
will ensure you have a heating system which, if properly used,
• We
will reduce condensation.
will carry out a full investigation when condensation is first
• We
reported and complete a survey report.
will give you a copy of the survey report and ask you to sign it
• We
as confirmation.
will resolve any problems if condensation is due to shortcomings
• We
in either the fabric of the building or the materials or work supplied by
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us. This is in line with our repairing obligations.
We will explain how condensation occurs and how you can control it
in your home.
We will give you advice about how to reduce condensation which
occurs as a result of lifestyle.
If we find penetrating or rising damp, we will tell you how we intend to
resolve the problem and estimate how long the works will take.
Your responsibility
• To adequately ventilate your home.
• To adequately heat your home.
• To dry washing outdoors wherever possible.
• To ventilate tumble dryers externally in all cases.
open windows during and after cooking to clear steam. If fitted
• To
use the extractor hood whilst cooking. Use any extractor fan if fitted.
open windows after baths or showers to clear steam. Use any
• To
extractor fan if fitted.
• Clean mould off walls and ceilings promptly when it appears.
The information in this leaflet has been provided by experts in the field
of condensation. If you follow this guidance you will minimise any
condensation.
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What is condensation and how
does it cause mould?
Everyone hates mould. It’s ugly and unsightly.
Mould forms on walls, ceilings and furniture – and it makes window-frames
rot. As mildew, it can eat into clothes and make them smell.
Condensation can cause mould. There’s always some moisture in the air.
Moisture is there even if you can't feel it – and you won’t see it.
What happens is that when air gets cold, the moisture in the air forms tiny
drops of water. This is condensation. You can often see it on windows on a
cold day. You can also see condensation on mirrors after a bath or shower,
or on cold surfaces such as tiles and walls. It can form on wallpaper but
you may not be able to see it.
Condensation is much more likely in cold weather. Normally you won’t
see a ‘tidemark’ like you get in a rim around the bath. If you can see a
tidemark, it’s likely that you have rising damp.
Beware of condensation
Watch out for condensation – it can cause trouble. You’ll see it on or
near windows, in corners, hidden behind curtains or behind wardrobes
and cupboards. If there’s little movement of air, there’s greater danger
that condensation will happen and mould will form – so keep your rooms
well aired.
Beware of mould
Condensation causes the enemy – mould – to grow. You will see the
evidence – ugly small black dots that multiply and spread.
Watch out for evidence of mould damage. You can see it on rotting window
frames, as mildew on your clothes and as unpleasant growths on walls,
ceilings and furniture.
If your rooms are damp and humid, another enemy may emerge – dust
mites. If you suffer from asthma, bronchitis or other breathing difficulties,
you may feel worse.
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Fight the condensation
There are some simple steps you can take in the fight against
condensation and mould.
Dry your windows and window-sills every morning.
Wipe dry all surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom that are wet.
Wring out wet cloths.
Don’t dry wet clothing on a radiator.
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Fight the mould
You can fight the mould by wiping walls and windows or by spraying them
with a fungicidal wash (available at your local supermarket or DIY store).
Dry-clean all mildewed clothes.
Shampoo the carpets.
Don’t try to remove mould with a brush or a vacuum cleaner.
Re-decorate the walls and window frames. Use good quality anti-fungal
paint and anti-fungal wallpaper paste. Don’t use ordinary paint or
wallpaper paste.
Remember: to get rid of mould you must tackle and remove
dampness.
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Causes of condensation
It is relatively simple to deal with the four main causes of condensation
and mould:
• Too much moisture
• Not enough ventilation
• Cold surfaces
• Uneven temperature
Let’s look at each of them.
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Moisture
Moisture in your home is the result of everyday activities. Even just breathing
adds moisture. It’s amazing but true that just one person asleep over one
night can add half a pint of water to the air in the room and twice this
amount when active during the day.
If you cause less moisture you will reduce condensation in your home.
Activity
Water moisture
A bath or shower
2 pints (1.14 litres)
Washing dishes in
the sink
2 pints (1.14 litres)
Two people at home
for 16 hours
Cooking and using
a kettle
Drying clothes
indoors
3 pints (1.7 litres)
6 pints (3.4 litres)
9 pints (5.13 litres)
What you can do
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Hang washing outside to dry.
Hang washing in the bathroom with the door closed and open the window.
If you have an extractor fan, turn it on when drying clothes.
Don’t put clothes on radiators or in front of a fire.
If you use a tumble-dryer, make sure it is vented to carry moisture outside.
Cook with the pan lids on. Use the minimum amount of water to cook
vegetables and turn down the heat once the water has boiled.
When filling a bath, run the cold water first, then top up with hot water.
This simple rule reduces steam by up to 90% – thus preventing
condensation.
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Do not use bottled gas heaters. They produce excessive moisture
and using them is against your tenancy agreement.
Don’t use a gas cooker to heat your kitchen. Burning gas creates
moisture – you’ll soon notice this when the windows mist over.
If you use sterilizing equipment (for baby bottles and other items)
make sure a window is open.
Ventilation
Ventilation (air flow) reduces condensation. Ventilation removes moist air
and replaces it with drier air from outside.
What you can do
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Reduce overnight condensation by ‘cross-ventilating’. This means
opening windows as far as the first notch on the handle, on opposite
sides of your home (or upstairs and downstairs).
Open room doors throughout your home.
Cross-ventilate your home for at least 30 minutes each day to allow
dry air to circulate.
But – don’t invite intruders. If you go out, make sure all the windows are
tightly closed.
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In the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom
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You should ventilate the kitchen when cooking, washing up or
washing clothes by hand. A window slightly open is as good as one
that is wide open.
If you have a cooker extractor hood or extractor fan, use it.
Keep your kitchen and bathroom doors closed to prevent moisture
escaping into the rest of your home.
When you’ve finished in the kitchen or bathroom, open a small top
window for about 20 minutes.
Ventilate your bedroom by leaving a window slightly open at night
unless the window can be easily reached by an intruder.
Some windows have ‘trickle ventilation’. If you have this system,
make sure the vents are open – never block them up.
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Mildew on clothes
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Mildew on clothes is nasty. You should allow air to circulate around
your clothes by removing ‘false’ wardrobe backs or by drilling ‘breather
holes’ in them.
Furniture (such as beds) can be raised on blocks to allow air to
circulate underneath.
Keep a small gap between furniture (a wardrobe) and the wall. If you
can, put your wardrobe against an interior wall, not an outside wall.
Pull shelves away from the backs of wardrobes and cupboards.
Wardrobes packed with clothes will restrict air circulation. So don’t
overfill your wardrobe.
Cold surfaces
Cold surfaces in your home are likely to be walls, ceilings, floors.
Condensation forms more easily on cold surfaces than on warm ones.
So, cold surfaces should be made warmer.
This can be done by effective insulation and by keeping out cold
draughts. And your heating bills will be smaller – always a good thing.
Tips on keeping out draughts
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Don’t draughtproof rooms with a condensation problem.
Don’t draughtproof a room with a heater or cooker that burns gas or
solid fuel.
Don’t block permanent ventilators or airbricks.
Remember: if you are a tenant and you think your home needs loft
or wall insulation, ask Thrive Homes for help.
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Temperature
Warm air hangs on to moisture. Cooler air deposits drops of moisture.
Think of air like a sponge: the warmer it is, the more moisture is held in it.
Therefore, if you heat one room to a high level and leave other rooms cold,
condensation is likely to be much worse in the unheated rooms. A short
burst of high level heating for an hour or two warms one room only. If you
turn off the heater, the temperature quickly falls.
Heating your home
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Choose low or medium level heating over a longer period. This heats
the air and the fabric (such as walls) in your home.
Walls retain heat for longer than air. This reduces the time and the
amount of heat you need to warm up your room the next time you
turn the heater on.
Use heating controls and thermostats to make sure the heating is on at
times that suit you.
Heating is an expensive household cost. Keeping the heating on all
day at a low temperature solves the condensation problem. But you
need to keep an eye on the meter to see how much your heating is
costing you.
Heating tips
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Even if you don’t heat every room, open the doors of unheated rooms to
allow some heat into them.
Electrical equipment such as freezers, computers and televisions give
out heat. Therefore, they help to control condensation. Positioning
these against cold, outside walls where possible should help.
Try to avoid causing draughts or ‘over-ventilating’ your home.
Draughts cause temperatures to drop and increase the cost of your
heating.
You can contact Thrive Homes to ask about grants and discount schemes
to help you with condensation, mould and heating.
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Control condensation,
take action now!
• Reduce moisture
• Improve ventilation
• Warm surfaces
• Heat your home evenly
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Helplines
Useful telephone numbers and websites
There are grants, discount schemes and advice centres where you can
find out about how to insulate and heat your home and destroy mould.
Herts and Essex
Energy Partnership ................ 0800 980 6026 www.heepgrant.org
Energy Saving Trust .............. 0800 512 012
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Sustainability Officer at
Three Rivers District Council.. 01923 776611
www.threerivers.gov.uk
National Grid Engineering
Service (gas) ......................... 0800 111 999
www.nationalgrid.com
Gas and Electricity
Consumer Direct ................... 0845 906 0708 www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
Winter Fuel Payments
Helpline ................................. 0845 915 1515 www.direct.gov.uk
Age UK (Age Concern
and Help the Aged) ............... 0800 009 966
www.ageuk.org.uk
Disabled Living Foundation .. 0845 130 9177 www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk
Benefits Enquiry Line ............ 0800 882 200
www.direct.gov.uk
Pension Service .................... 0800 991 234
www.direct.gov.uk
Warm Front grants ................ 0800 316 2814 www.eaga.co.uk
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Vision
A thriving community
where there are life choices
and opportunities
Mission
To provide high quality homes and excellent
services to help develop communities where
people will enjoy living
Values
These inform the way that we work at
Thrive Homes. We are:
• Open • Respectful • Excellent • Reliable
Thrive Homes information is available in large print, on
our website and spoken word translation. Please contact us
free on 0800 917 6077 to discuss how we can help you.
We want to ensure our services are fair, and accessible.
If you know anyone who may need this type of help and
support please tell us.
Thrive Homes
Building 3
Croxley Green Business Park
Hatters Lane
Watford, Herts
WD18 8YG
telephone: 020 8428 4428
freephone: 0800 917 6077
[email protected]
www.thrivehomes.org.uk
November 2010