FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you’re confronted with dampness and timber problems for the first time, remember that many other home owners will probably have had to deal with them as well, so here’s how you can benefit from their experience – by browsing through the questions we are most frequently asked.

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, then go to our ‘Ask the Experts’ page and let us help you on a one-to-one basis.

I get mould growth on shoes and handbags (leather products). They are stored in fitted wardrobes. Is this a damp problem or storage problem? I live in a bungalow. We have a lot of rain that lies on our patio.

This is almost certainly a condensation problem and if so, a very typical scenario. The reason is that wardrobes get very little air circulation and if they're situated against an outside wall, that wall will be a colder surface which is likely to result inÿthe formation of condensation. And condensation frequently leads to mould growth. In all probability your clothing is at risk from the dampness as well.

The answer is to increase air flow in and around the wardrobes. Soÿleave the doors open more often or fitÿventilation panels. And keep the bedroom warmer if possible because warm air holds more moisture.

If the problem is really serious rather than a minor irritant, the best solution we can recommend would be to fit in the loft a positive input ventilation unit - which operates exactly as its name implies, by quietly pushing warm air from the loft round the property to eliminate cold spots and stop condensation (and mould growth) from forming.