Condensation and damp are incredibly common household problems, thanks in no small part to the building practices of previous decades. Homes were built with little damp protection, meaning that homeowners and tenants now have to address the problems left behind. If left untreated, condensation and damp can cause health issues as well as inconvenience, so working on how to reduce damp in a property can make a real difference.
The dangers posed by condensation and damp can be targeted by some basic home maintenance and a few basic lifestyle changes that help to protect both you and your home. Often, when you’re looking at how to reduce damp or how to reduce condensation, you don’t need to call in the professionals – you can address them yourself.
Before we get on to our tips about how to prevent damp, these are the prime signs of condensation and damp in your home:
- Flaking paint or curled wallpaper
- Mould growth around windows or in the bathroom
- Dry mould growth on walls
- Musty or damp smell
- Discoloured or stained areas of the walls
If you spot any of these signs, consider these remedies:
1. Move the Furniture
Aesthetically, many of us place furniture around the outer edges of a room to maximise the space, but that isn’t the best way to keep condensation away. The more space there is behind sofas and chairs, the more air can circulate around the room and the less chance there is of condensation forming between the furniture and the wall. If you spot condensation on your window and you want to prevent it getting worse, position furniture a few centimetres away from the external walls. As a bonus point, keep curtains clear of the walls too using a large rail.
2. Keep Your Home Warm
Since condensation is the result of moist air touching a cold surface like a window or external wall, keeping a steady temperature in the home can stop those sudden alterations that make condensation more likely. So, one of the major ways to reduce condensation is to ensure your home is warm and that it retains that heat. Installing insulation may be a financial outlay at first, but it’s a return on investment when you think about lower energy bills and fixing the damage caused by damp and condensation.
3. Use Extractor Fans
Kitchens and bathrooms are prime locations for damp and condensation to fester due to the rapid alterations in temperature. Cooking and running hot water creates lots of moisture in the air, and the most effective way to get rid of it is by using extractor fans. Again, it may require a small outlay to install them, but when you’re looking at how to reduce condensation, this is a tried and tested method. Plus, many properties already have extractor fans but they don’t use them or they’re in a state of disrepair – it could be an easy win in the fight against damp just to switch them on.
4. Air Your Home Regularly
It might seem counterproductive to open windows when it’s cold outside but keeping the home well-ventilated lets out any damp air which may have accumulated and is on its way to causing a problem. Letting your home breathe, especially rooms where people sleep and create excess condensation during the night, is important for the overall health of your home. Routinely opening a bedroom window for a few hours while you’re not in the room can be beneficial when you’re looking at how to prevent damp in your home – just remember not to compromise on the safety of your property either.
5. Avoid Drying Clothes Inside
Cold weather brings with it the received wisdom that clothes can’t be dried as easily as they can be in the warmer months. Damp clothes are a major source of condensation inside the house, so taking them outside into even a cold breeze can help eliminate this. While you might think that they won’t dry in cold weather, the breeze removes moisture from the clothes. If it isn’t possible to hang clothes outside but you’re still looking at how to reduce damp, consider bringing a dehumidifier inside to help reduce the moisture in the air while clothes dry.
These tips should help you reduce condensation and damp in your home, but there’s more you can do too. Consider mould resistant paint for kitchens and bathrooms where damp is more likely and remember to wipe condensation away when it appears on window panes instead of allowing it to fester and help mould grow in the future.
Finally – and this is perhaps our more important tip – always address condensation and damp spots immediately or you’ll pay for it further down the line.
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