As the cold, wet weather returns this Autumn (did it ever go away?), those with damp-prone homes will again be worried about the emergence of mould during the dark half of the year.
The tell-tale sign that too much moisture is entering your property, mould is invasive, destructive and could easily make you and other occupants sick – so it’s important to remain vigilant and ensure defences are strong and reliable, and that you’re following protocols to minimise the risks.
Luckily, Croft Damp Prevention services are here to help, with our 5 top tips for keeping damp out this autumn – and if these aren’t enough, we have bespoke and dedicated services you can count on, just a phone call away.
Due to a steeper temperature gradient with the outside, condensation is far more prevalent during the colder months. If you’re noticing lots of moisture on the inside of your windows, you’re currently in the process of inviting damp and mould into your home, and something needs to be done!
The condensation is due to the warm air in your home coming into contact with the cold window panes – while it’s important to stay warm and snug, a lack of ventilation will always result in the accumulation of moisture.
While throwing windows open to begin circulating fresher, drier air throughout your home is a great start, it won’t fix everything if you have outdated, faulty or non-existent ventilation hardware.
This would be a great time to check out the extraction fans in your kitchen and bathrooms – if these aren’t properly serviced, they will become ineffective, stop removing warm, moist air from the house and lead to dreaded damp and mould.
Call in Crofts to have your ventilation professionally serviced for peace of mind.
While not every factor in the accumulation of damp is the occupant’s fault, there are some ways to minimise the risk for yourself – especially if you live in a property that structurally lends itself to holding moisture, or have an unresponsive or neglectful landlord (we’ve all been there!)
Evenly distributing the heat in your home is of paramount importance, in order to stop the creation of air currents between different rooms.
We recommend leaving the heating on a consistent, low temperature at all times – having heating on high will encourage more condensation to form on windows, and when it’s turned off, this moisture will cool down and end up causing structural damage in the long run.
Currents can also be created by breaches to the outside walls – any vents to the outside will cause a current of warm, moist air to pass over the same area – creating the perfect environment for mould to thrive. Get these filled in as soon as possible.
Investing in a dehumidifier is a savvy purchase for anyone with generally poor ventilation in their home, or specific spaces that suffer especially – such as basements with no windows.
The machine will draw the moisture from the air and into itself, allowing you to dispose of the excess water. However, there are more cost-effective measures to take, as if you don’t generally improve your ventilation, you’ll have to do this on a consistent basis. Dehumidifying isn’t cheap, either.
Vastly experienced, hugely knowledgeable and ready to take your call, the Croft Preservation team have been working with damp and mould since 1985 – so there’s nothing they haven’t seen before. We’ve earned a reputation for courteous, unintrusive and professional work – from wet rot to dry rot and woodworm, give us a call on 01202 737739.
