Damp & Condensation
Most of the complaints we get about “dampness” are actually caused by condensation.
Click here to download our information leaflet, or read the information below.
Dampness is caused by water seeping into your home from the outside, and can normally be prevented by carrying out certain building work.
Condensation occurs when there is an excessive build up of moisture in the air. There is always moisture in the air, but people create additional moisture in their homes by:
- Cooking or boiling water
- Taking baths or showers
- Using paraffin or bottled gas heaters
- Drying clothes inside
Warm moist air condenses and forms water when it cools: for example when it touches a cold surface. In your home these are outside walls, mirrors, windows, wall tiles and even on clothes.
If this condensation cannot dry out, it will cause mould to form on walls, in cupboards, on windows, window sills and mildew to form on clothes, especially leather goods.
There are a number of things you can do to limit condensation forming:
- Produce less moisture by covering pans and turning down the heat when boiling, switching off boiling kettles, drying clothes outside, or in a well ventilated room and not using paraffin or bottled gas heaters.
- Do not use unvented tumble dryers
- Ventilate to let the moisture out, by opening a bathroom or kitchen window for a while to let the steam escape, or using an extractor fan: and opening windows for a while each day to change the air in your house.
- Keeping your home warm by at least keeping a low background heat; this need not result in significant increased heating costs.
- Wipe down where moisture settles and squeeze out excess water.
- Do not cover up airbricks or ventilators
The following is an extract of how much water vapour is produced:
General
- Each person breathing – approx ½ litre a day
- Paraffin Heaters – 2.5 to 5 litres a day or 5 litres of water from 5 litres of paraffin
- Calor gas heaters – 5 litres of water to 1 kg of gas
Kitchen
- Washing up – 1 lite a day
- Washing clothes (if not in a washing machine) – 2 litres a day
- Cooking per person – ½ lite per day
Bathroom
- Clothes drying – 6 litre a day
- Bathing/washing – 1 litre per day
The average family can produce between 7-14 litres of water per day.