If you look out the window during winter, chances are that you will be familiar with the sight of condensation. While this is very common and is difficult to avoid when it’s freezing cold outside, condensation isn’t something that should be ignored because when it is, it can lead to serious problems with mould.
One of the biggest causes of condensation is something that the vast majority of us are doing unwittingly, possibly even on a daily basis.
Drying your clothes indoors
Drying your clothes inside may initially seem like a logical, cost-effective and even a more environmentally-friendly method of doing your laundry but by doing this, you’re exposing yourself to all sorts of problems. For example, wet clothes being left out in an unventilated area can increase the moisture levels in your home by up to 30%, which makes you more prone to condensation and mould.
It’s not just this you have to worry about however, with as many as 87% of us drying our clothes inside during the winter, experts are warning that this creates the ideal breeding conditions for mould spores – some of which can cause potentially fatal lung infections.
One load of wet washing alone contains almost two litres of water which is then released into the room. Unbeknown to many, this can pose a serious health threat to people who have weakened immune systems or serious asthma.
Doctor Denning, Professor of Infectious Disease in Global Health at The University of Manchester explained:
“Most of us are either immune to the fungus which grows in these humid conditions or have a sufficiently healthy system to fight the infection. But, in asthma suffers it can produce coughing and wheeziness and in people with weak or damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, Aids patients and those who have an auto-immune disease, the fungus can cause pulmonary aspergillosis – a condition which can cause irreparable and sometimes fatal damage to the lungs and sinuses.”
How to reduce the moisture
If you don’t have any outdoor space and have to dry your clothes indoors, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the amount of moisture in the air:
- Open a window to improve the ventilation in your home.
- Get a tumble dryer so that you don’t have to hang your washing on a clothes horse or over radiators.
- Use a dehumidifier. This will help to remove excess moisture as well as maintain the right humidity levels.
- If you have any extractor fans in the house (usually in the kitchen or bathroom), turn them on when you’re drying your clothes.
- Install Dry Air Whole House Ventilation Units. By drawing in clean, filtered air from outside, this product can effectively ventilate your entire property. Humidity levels are also maintained which means that the presence of condensation and potentially dangerous fungus is reduced and can even be completely removed.
If you would like to discuss how you can reduce condensation in your home, please feel free to contact Peter Cox to book a survey appointment or call us on 0808 273 2138. We have a dedicated team on hand who can identify any problems and find a solution that suits your needs.
