Most homes are affected by occasional or persistent condensation at some point. The three main causes of condensation are:
- moisture produced by everyday activities
- not enough ventilation
- cold temperatures
Everyday activities like cooking, drying clothes, showering, and even breathing, all increase moisture in the air. If this moisture builds up, damp and black mould can grow on walls, ceilings, furniture, and clothing and raise the risk of respiratory health problems.
How much moisture can be produced in your home in one day?
|
Activity |
Number of pints |
|---|---|
|
Two people active for one day |
3 |
|
Cooking and boiling a kettle |
6 |
|
Having a bath or shower |
2 |
|
Washing clothes |
1 |
|
Drying clothes |
9 |
|
Total amount of moisture that can be produced in your home in one day |
21 pints |
Ventilation will stop moist air getting trapped in the home
- Open windows and air vents and turn on extractor fans to prevent condensation.
- Most of our council homes are fitted with energy efficient extractor fans and they cost a few pence each day to run.
- The extractor fans remove moisture from the air, and some have a ‘boost’ function which turns on when moisture is at its highest, such as after bathing or cooking.
- It is very important to leave extractor fans turned on to help keep damp and mould out.
