Managing moisture levels in your home is the best approach to managing condensation. This includes how you dry your washing to how you use extractor fans. We have some top tips on the best ways you can help to reduce moisture and manage condensation in your home:
1) Keep windows open to remove condensation
Double glazing, installed in our homes for comfort, can actually make it harder for air to flow in and out of your home. It is essential you have adequate ventilation so the moisture in the air can escape outside and does not build up. For this reason we would recommend that you keep your trickle vents open and a quarter ajar as often as possible, to allow optimal airflow.
2) Do not block airways, air vents, air bricks, window trickle vents or chimneys
Make sure your property’s airways are clear. Vents blocked by furniture or air bricks clogged with dirt and leaves will prevent air moving freely and lead to moisture build up in your home.
3) Install an extractor fan
Proper ventilation is essential to allow the moisture to escape from a property before it turns into condensation. Installing a mechanical fan in moisture producing rooms like the kitchen and bathroom will improve the humidity levels and prevent condensation. This can be as simple as an extractor fan, preferably controlled by a humidistat.
4) Do not press furniture up against your walls
Where possible, leave a gap of at least 10cm between your walls and furniture. This will allow air to circulate in the room. Moist air lingering and stagnating can lead to black spot mould growth. A similar problem is caused by long curtains trapping cold air up against walls.
5) Dry your clothes outside
Drying clothes on radiators can add litres of extra moisture to your home. If possible, dry your clothes outside. If this is not possible, put them on a clothes horse in an enclosed room such as the bathroom, with the window open or extract fan on.
6) Ensure any washing machines or tumble driers are vented
If you have a tumble dryer or washing machine inside your home that doesn’t collect condensation then you need to ensure it is properly vented. A single load of washing has the potential to release high volumes of water vapour into the air. With age, vent pipes crack, so ensure the extracted air really is leaving the building.
7) Close bathroom doors
Bathrooms are the main sources of water vapour in the home and it’s no coincidence it is the room you will commonly find mould in. The excess moisture created by taking a bath or shower is unavoidable but it can migrate to other cold spots in your property. One simple way to stop this is to close the door and open the window when engaging in these activities and for a period after, until the steam has gone.
8) Use pan lids when cooking
Boiling water when making pasta or other dishes expels a lot of moisture into the air and if there isn’t adequate ventilation in your kitchen, or a functioning extractor fan, then this moisture will settle on cold surfaces. Using lids can help contain this.
9) Turn on your extractor fans
Whether you are cooking in the kitchen or taking a shower you should be sure to turn on any extractor fans available to direct steam and moisture outdoors as soon as it is generated. This is especially important in winter when the temperature in your home is lower.
10) Consider your pets and plants
It may seem silly, but your pets and houseplants also expel moisture into the air and doing something simple like moving a fish tank, houseplant or dog bed from a poorly ventilated room in the house to one that isn’t as affected by condensation can make a difference. Never put a dog bed on a cold stone floor. Due to the dog’s warm body, condensation will form under it.
