Winter is upon us and adjacent to the cold weather are notoriously issues with black mould and damp. Let us talk you through how this happens and how it can be avoided.
What causes damp and mould?
Quite simply mould is caused by moisture in the air, which moves around your property until it finds a cold place to condensate – typically on windows or where air flow is restricted, thus creating black mould.
Vast amounts of this moisture can be created by doing simple household tasks such as drying clothes, having a bath or shower, cooking and boiling the kettle. Even talking and breathing generates moisture.
How can we reduce condensation?
Have your heating on low in all areas of your house for a prolonged period (rather than blipping it on and off), the heat will evaporate some of the moisture.
Ensure a good level of ventilation by opening windows and always make use of your kitchen and bathroom extractor fans. Keep the bathroom door shut when using the bath or shower.
Wipe down condensed windows on a regular basis
Dry your washing outside, or with a tumble dryer or heated clothes airer
Wherever possible avoid positioning furniture on north facing walls and leave a small gap to enable circulation behind it.
How can we treat existing mould?
If you do see black mould appear in your property, it is essential you act fast to avoid the issues spreading and creating more damage/health concerns within the property. The most effective way to treat this would be thoroughly clean the area with a fungicidal wash, these are readily available in hardware shops such as B&Q, Wickes or Homebase. Contrary to advise online it is important you don’t use washing up liquid as this does not fight the problem and only causes the moisture to condensate in other areas.
If you are following all these steps and are still getting mould, you could also consider use of a dehumidifier, these come in both disposable and electric form.
Conclusion
Overall, problems with mould and damp are nearly always caused by lifestyle issues as opposed to building faults. Adopting new habits and routines can go a long way to improve our standard of living.
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
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