Damp and condensation is the primary cause for mould growth in your home during the winter time. Continue reading to learn ways to reduce this
Cooking, washing, bathing, and drying leads to moisture in the air, which condensates against cold surfaces, such as windows, mirrors, and the internal of your house’s walls. This creates an ideal environment for mould to grow on wood, walls, furnishings, and carpets.
Hang your washing outside, put it in the dryer, or in the bathroom with the window open.
When cooking, always make sure the extractor is on, and make sure to keep pots and pans covered to reduce the vapour released.
Install a fan in your bathroom and make sure it is on whilst any hot water is running.
Reduce the amount of water left out on surfaces, wipe down the kitchen counters, sinks, bathroom tiles.
Aerate your home:
- Keep the doors shut to rooms which have running water such as the bathroom and kitchen, to prevent humidity spreading to other areas of the house.
- Aerate your cupboards and wardrobes every week for a couple hours.
- Keep furniture at least 2 inches from the wall, where possible make sure to not have large pieces of furniture such as a wardrobe or bed touching external walls.
Invest in Insulation and Heating:
Proper heating will significantly reduce damp in your home and keep it warmer. It is important to keep the temperature of your home consistent to reduce damp build up, so reduce temperature fluctuations as much as possible. Additionally, a great way to regulate humidity levels is to use a dehumidifier, specifically in bathrooms or where you are drying your washing.
Maintenance:
Although you can take measures to reduce the chances of damp and mould, the proper cleaning and care of your home is crucial to keep damp and mould away.
- Let carpets and upholstery completely dry after cleaning them, and aid the drying process by using a heater or dehumidifier.
- Disinfect humid areas on a regular basis. Get yourself a fungicidal spray to make this a quicker and easier job.
- When you next paint your home, in areas that are prone to damp use a fungicidal paint to reduce the chances of accumulation.
- Clean behind large furniture such as wardrobes and beds twice a year.
The winter months are going to make most types of damp worse. Ideally you should try and identify issues earlier in the year. All types of damp are likely to cause more problems during the winter months. The good news is, all types of damp can be treated, no matter what season it is.