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What is condensation?
Why do I get condensation?
What can I do to reduce the condensation in my house?
How can I produce less water vapour?
How do I stop the spread of water vapour?
How do I ventilate my home?
How do I prevent mould growth?
How can I be sure that it is condensation?
What is condensation?
If your home is damp, or you find patches of mould on the walls, condensation may be the cause.
Condensation occurs when moist air hits a cold surface such as a wall or window. The air within a property can hold varying amounts of water vapour, depending on its temperature.
When warm moist air meets a cold surface such as a window or external wall, the trapped moisture turns into droplets of water and collects on the cold surface. This is condensation.
Why do I get condensation?
Every home gets condensation at some time. It is normal for windows to be misted up on a cold morning, especially after a cold night.
Problems arise when surface condensation occurs more regularly. We offer the following useful advice.
What can I do to reduce the condensation in my house?
The three main ways to help prevent it becoming a problem are:
1. Produce less water vapour/steam in your home.
2. Prevent water vapour/steam from spreading throughout the property.
3. Keep your home warm and ventilated.
How can I produce less water vapour?
If you use a tumble dryer, ensure that it is vented outside of the property.
Do not let kettles, pans etc., boil any longer than necessary.
Avoid the use of bottled gas and paraffin heaters. These produce more than a pint of water for every gallon of fuel used.
Drying clothes - hang washing outside whenever possible.
Cooking - cover pans and open a window whenever possible, use your extractor fan if you have one fitted.
Bathing and showering - keep bathroom door shut and ventilate by opening a window, use your extractor fan if you have one fitted.
How do I stop the spread of water vapour?
The bathroom and kitchen are known as ‘wet rooms’; keep the doors to these rooms closed whenever possible, especially when cooking, bathing or showering.
How do I ventilate my home?
Let moisture laden air out. The best way to do this is with adequate ventilation. Nobody likes draughts, but some ventilation is vital. Keep a small window ajar or trickle ventilators open in occupied rooms to give background ventilation.
If you have a fireplace that you no longer use, do not block up the chimney, or if the fire has been blocked up ensure that a ventilator is fitted. If you have extractor fans, use them!
How do I prevent mould growth?
The best way of tackling mould is to reduce the condensation levels and prevent it from growing in the first place.
Mould on washable surfaces can be removed by wiping down with detergents or proprietary mould removers.
It is advisable to create a routine of wiping down window condensation on a regular basis. This will help to prevent mould from forming.
Where metal framed windows are fitted, it may be an idea to decorate the window reveals with a finish that can be easily wiped down such as gloss paint or ceramic tile and not wallpaper.
Avoid keeping heavy furniture against cold external walls wherever possible.
How can I be sure that it is condensation?
Condensation is surface dampness. It mainly occurs on cold walls indoors, and other cold surfaces, such as tiles, waste pipes under sinks, wash hand basins and cold water feed pipes that run around the walls.
It can also occur behind furniture that is placed against an outside wall that has little or no air circulation. Condensation is usually at its worst during the winter. It will often result in black mould growing on walls and other surfaces.
