Some homes suffer from damp, which can lead to mould. Mould is usually found in places where there is poor air flow and cold spots.
There are lots of reasons why a home can be damp but the most common cause is condensation.
This page features advice on how to prevent damp and mould in your home.
You can often avoid damp and mould by taking a few steps.
Condensation can be caused by:
Condensation can cause black mould on walls and furniture and mildew on clothes, curtains and other fabrics. It can even damage plasterwork and rot wooden window frames.
Here are some top tips to avoid condensation and mould:
Mythbuster: You can dry clothes on a radiator. Just remember it creates a lot of moisture, so if you can put your clothes airer next to your radiator or open a nearby window
The most common cause of damp and mould is condensation and following the steps above can help to alleviate this.
Not all damp and mould is caused by condensation and sometimes the cause can be more serious, such as:
If you are worried your damp and mould could be serious you should contact us as soon as you can.
This infographic shows some of the different types of damp and mould and what their causes could be.
If you do get mould in your home here are some tips on how to prevent and deal with it:
Mythbuster: Ventilating your home will not let all of the heat out. Most of the heat in your home is stored in solid objects like walls, floors and furniture. Remember to keep vents open and open your windows regularly.
For more information on tackling damp and mould download this leaflet developed by Action for Warm Homes.
Remember, if you think your damp and mould could be the result of a more serious problem, contact us as soon as you can.
Your heating can sometimes contribute to condensation and damp in your home.
Heating one room to a high temperature and leaving other rooms cold makes condensation worse, so you should try to avoid doing this.
If your heating ever breaks contact us as soon as possible. We can supply temporary heaters while we work on a permanent fix.
If you are having issues with damp and condensation in your home a dehumidifier can make a big difference.
Dehumidifiers are not expensive to run and running them all day will still only add a few pence to your energy bills.
