Keeping Your Home Dry & Mould Free

Moisture In Your Home

Although you can’t see it there is always moisture in the air. Warm air holds much more water vapour than cold air. Modern homes are significant producers of water vapour. An average family of four through activities like washing, cooking and drying clothes can produce as much as 19 litres every 24 hours. This damp can cause mould to grow on walls, fabric and furniture which can eventually lead to rotting. It can cause paint to bubble and wallpaper to peel off.

It is very important to be aware of the water vapour produced inside your home and how to reduce its impact. Water vapour can be produced by cooking, bathing, showers and doing laundry. A damp atmosphere in a property can lead to mould growth, which is unsightly and unhealthy. Mould gives off spores which float in the air and can make conditions such as asthma worse. Ventilation is vital to replace moist, stale air with fresh clean air

Cooking:

• If you have one always use the over hob extractor unit to help remove steam from boiling pans.
• If you do not have an extractor unit then open a window in the kitchen whilst you are cooking.
• Keep the kitchen door shut whilst cooking.
• Use lids on saucepans.
• Don’t allow kettles and pans to boil for longer than necessary.

Bathrooms:

• Keep the door closed whilst using the bathroom for bathing or showering.
• If possible ventilate the bathroom whilst in the bath or shower.
• If you have an extractor fan in the bathroom make sure it is switched on when you are bathing.
• Always open the window after you have finished in the room to allow the moisture out.

Laundry:

• Dry clothes outdoors is possible, which also saves you money on your fuel bill.
• If you hang clothes out to dry indoors make sure you open a window, even just a small amount.
• Ventilate your tumble dryer to the outside. If your dryer is not self condensing make sure you put the hose outside the window to ensure the hot moisture filled air produced by the machine does not condense inside your home. Opening a nearby window is not enough.
• Don’t dry clothes on radiators. This leads to large amounts of condensation being produced and also prevents your heating system from working efficiently.

General:

• It is important to allow air to circulate around the house every day. Open several windows to encourage air movement.
• If you have wet clothes or boots try to hang them out to dry outside of living areas, such as in a porch, garage or utility room.
• If you use bottle gas or paraffin heaters you will need to allow extra ventilation. Flueless heaters of this sort produce more than a pint of water for every pint of fuel they burn.
• Don’t put furniture up against outside walls. The inside walls (between rooms) are always warmer and less prone to condensation. Leave a gap between the wall and the piece of furniture so that air can circulate freely.
• Keep radiators clear of furniture and other obstructions. This will make sure that the maximum amount of heat gets into the room, and allows air to circulate more easily.
• Don't overfill cupboards and wardrobes. Always make sure that some air can circulate freely by fitting ventilators in doors and leaving a space at the back of the shelves.
• Never block a chimney up completely. If you are blocking up a fire place, fit an air vent to allow ventilation.

Causes Of Condensation:

PEOPLE	1 Adult sleeping	= 70 ml
GAS/PARAFFIN HEATERS	3.5 litres of fuel used	= 4.25 litres
BATH/SHOWER		= 1 litre
COOKING	Family of four	= 2.6 litres
WASHING	Machine load	= 2 litres
TUMBLE DRYER	Machine load	= 4.25 litres