How to prevent damp & condensation in your home

Are you waking up to wet windows and walls? This may be due to excess condensation in your home. Follow our expert’s damp advice to prevent condensation and damp from forming in your home this winter.

How to reduce condensation & damp in your home

Condensation is primarily caused by excess moisture in the air hitting colder surfaces. To effectively prevent this, it is advisable to attempt to reduce the amount of water vapor in the air. There are a few methods you can utilise to achieve this.

• Improve your indoor ventilation system – Ventilation doesn’t have to involve a complicated, expensive system. It can be as simple as opening a window for at least 15 minutes each morning – circulating the air efficiently can be a very effective way to prevent / clear condensation in the mornings when your heating has kicked in and the humid air is hitting cold windows. If you’re looking to vamp up your ventilation system and don’t mind spending a bit of money to prevent condensation in rooms particularly prone to damp, another effective option is air bricks.
  
  
•  Ensure you have effective insulation – On the other end of the spectrum installation is as important as ventilation, especially if you’re experiencing cold spots on windows, windowsills walls and skirting boards. If you know you have a draught in your home you should consider replacing draughty doors and windows with double or triple-glazing, or draught tape to prevent condensation from occurring when you’re heating inevitably gets ramped up in the winter months. 
  
  
• Make use of your extractor fans - Improving your heating and installation systems will go a long way in solving condensation issues, as will extractor fans. Kitchens produce a lot of steam and humidity, so keep your extractor fan on to reduce excess moisture from building up.
  
  
•  Purchase a dehumidifier – If you’re looking for a preventative solution for your home a dehumidifier reduces the chance of high humidity and therefore the chance of condensation occurring. So, if you’re noticing that there is a lot of humidity in your home causing slight condensation a dehumidifier can help to reduce these levels. However, if you’re looking for a longer-term solution to get rid of damp then it's best to stop the root cause of the problem, by getting in contact with an expert.
  
  
•  Don’t hang clothes to dry inside – If you’re noticing damp and condensation in your home but you’re hanging your clothes up to dry inside your home, or on your radiator, it may be time to rethink. If possible, hang your clothes outside or invest in a heated drying rack or tumble dryer to help prevent the number one cause of condensation in the home.
  
  
• Get rid of bathroom moisture – Showering and bathing can create a lot of steam and therefore moisture, ensure you keep a window open when bathing to prevent excess condensation from building up. Be sure to have a bathroom extractor fan to help clear the excess moisture in the room. Top tip: Running cold water before hot helps to reduce the condensation and steam caused when running a shower or bath!

What causes dampness and condensation?

Damp occurs when there is an excess of unwanted moisture in the air that has no way of escaping. There is always some moisture in the air, even if you can’t see it. The hotter the air is the more capacity it has to hold moisture.

Therefore, in the winter months when the heating is turned up we see a higher rate of moisture in the air in our homes. If moist air is then cooled by coming into contact with cold surfaces, such as walls, windows, or mirrors, the moisture then condenses into water droplets.

Condensation is a very common form of dampness with an estimated 1 in 5 homes in the UK affected. Condensation forms when warm moist, humid air touches a cold internal wall or surface, too much moisture in the home can lead to dampness and condensation on walls, ceilings, and windows. Although it is difficult to completely stop condensation, you can do things in your home that can help reduce it.

What type of damp do I have?

To properly fix your issue with damp it is important to identify the correct type you are dealing with.

• Condensation-caused damp - As stated previously, condensation-caused damp is the most common household dampness and is often caused by poor heating and ventilation. It occurs when activities such as cooking, or heating raise the level of humidity in your home. The air then condenses, leaving you with wet walls and windows.
  
  
• Rising damp - This is where water enters a structure from the ground. Common observations from rising damp include decayed skirting boards and floors, stained plaster, and peeling paint or wallpaper. If you feel you have an issue with rising damp in your home, it is advisable to get in contact with a damp expert to help you identify the source of the problem and resolve it before your damp problem becomes a mold problem. 
  
  
• Penetrating damp – This is where water enters a building from outside and moves through the walls often creating stains and mold growth. The most common cause of penetrating damp is faulty/ leaky gutters and pipes, poor pointing, and cracked rendering. If you feel you have an issue with penetrating damp in your home, it is advisable to get in contact with a damp expert to help you identify the source of the problem and resolve it before your damp problem becomes a mold problem.

Ensure you prevent damp and condensation in your home this winter by following our preventative measures and tips to stop humid air from forming damp and mold in your home. For more tips and advice check out our blog here.