Britain has been experiencing a particularly cold spell of weather recently. As the temperature falls, condensation rises, creating moisture on windows each morning which will eventually cause mould and damp.
Damp inside your house can cause serious problems like asthma, allergies and respiratory infections.
Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and sometimes toxic substances
Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash.
Babies, the elderly and those with existing skin problems such as eczema, tend to be more sensitive to damp than others.
So what causes damp and mould?
Mould and damp are caused by excess moisture. Moisture in buildings can be caused by leaking pipes, rising damp in basements or ground floors, or rain seeping in because of damage to the roof or around window frames.
As the temperature drops outside, condensation can build up on the inside of the windows creating a damp environment. Drying wet clothes inside can also cause damp and mould to formulate.
How can you prevent damp and condensation in your own home?
Chris Michael from Meaco, a leading UK supplier of dehumidifiers and air purifiers, gives his top tips for preventing this annual winter nightmare.
1. Cut down the moisture you are producing:
- Put lids on saucepans when you boil or steam vegetables.
- Use an extractor fan when you bath or shower or open the window for 5 minutes afterwards.
- Don’t dry washing on radiators, use a clothes horse and put it in a room with an extractor fan.
- If drying clothes in a tumble dryer make sure it vents to outside.
2. Warm up your house:
- Open curtains and blinds during the day to warm rooms up and to prevent moisture being trapped around the windows.
3. Don’t block up any air bricks
- Don’t let furniture touch outside walls: leave a small gap.
- Open doors on built in wardrobes on outside walls and try to avoid clothes and shoes from touching outside walls.
- Keep gutters clear to make sure water does not spill down your walls
- Don’t build patios above the damp course.
4. Consider buying a dehumidifier
- This will help get rid of the excess moisture in your home, so preventing condensation, damp and mould, and will make your home drier and cheaper to heat.
- The Meaco DD8L Zambezi dehumidifier has a Which? Best Buy Award, works well at low temperatures, is cheaper than using a tumble dryer to dry clothes, and adds warmth back into a room.
- “If you do have a damp house, just turning up your heating in the winter will not get rid of condensation”, comments Chris Michael. “A damp house means damp air, and raising the heating thermostat will only heat up the wet air molecules rather than raise the room temperature."
- "A room will feel warmer if you are heating dry air. This is where a dehumidifier comes in. Follow the above advice and you will save on your heating bills and feel snug and healthy all winter," he added.
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