What to do if you find damp and mould in your home
What causes damp?
Condensation is a type of damp that forms when moisture created through things like cooking, showering, and drying clothes indoors can’t escape your home. Instead, it settles on cold surfaces like walls and windows. All homes are at risk of condensation.
A structural issue could be something like a leaky roof, window, wall, or pipework, or where the damp proof course, which is designed to be a barrier to stop moisture from getting into your home’s walls, has been damaged. Depending on how and where the water is getting into your home, it can cause different types of damp including rising damp and water penetration. It’s our responsibility to fix structural issues in your home, so let us know as soon as possible if you think you have a problem.
Other causes of damp include leaky appliances and large objects positioned against outer walls, which can stop air from circulating.
Mould in the home
Too much moisture in the home can lead to mould growth, especially in the colder months. Mould can pose a serious risk to your health and can cause respiratory problems or infections. It can also make allergies and asthma much worse. Children, older people, and those with skin or respiratory problems are most at risk from the effects of mould.
Small amounts of mould can be wiped away using a mould-killing product from the supermarket. If you try and wipe mould away using just bleach or an ordinary cleaner, it’s likely the mould will keep coming back.
It’s also important to deal with the cause of the damp in your home to prevent more mould from growing.
What to do if you have damp or mould in your home
If you find mould, think you have an issue with damp, or are struggling to heat your home, we’re here to help. Call us on 0300 555 0500 or email reportdampandmould@chp.org.uk so that we can assess the problem, give you advice and support, and make any repairs that may be needed. If the problem is due to condensation, you can also follow our tips below to help reduce it.
How to reduce condensation in your home
- Make sure air vents aren’t blocked and keep trickle vents on windows open to increase ventilation in your home.
- Keep lids on saucepans when cooking – as well as saving on your gas or electricity bill it’ll reduce the amount of moisture.
- Let fresh air in – open your windows for five to ten minutes each day, if you can.
- Place furniture or other items a few inches away from walls – this helps air circulate and stops mould growing.
- Open the window slightly after bathing or cooking to get rid of the moist air.
- Use your extractor fan when cooking, showering, or drying laundry.
- Keep kitchen and bathroom doors shut to stop moisture moving to other areas of your home.
- Dry clothes outdoors whenever possible. If you have to dry them indoors, open the window and shut the door of the room where the clothes are drying.
- Consider buying a moisture trap which helps neutralise bad smells while getting rid of moisture. You can get these at low cost from discount or hardware stores.
The main thing is to think about where excess moisture might be coming from in your home and ventilate those areas.