Internal monitoring for mould and condensation

Moisture production is caused by everyday living, from cooking to having a shower. Normally moisture will remain in the atmosphere, but as the room air temperature drops, the ability of air to hold moisture reduces, and the air becomes saturated. This excess moisture can often be spotted in the corners of windows or around window frames, in or behind wardrobes and cupboards and often forms on cold north-facing walls. This is known as condensation.

It is estimated that over 839,000 homes in the UK have problems with damp, the majority of these coming from private rented, local authority or housing associations tenures (English Housing Survey 2020-2021). When a property is suffering from a condensation problem it's important to understand the source of the moisture, and the areas most affected by the problem. This is different in every property due to the way it was built, the direction it faces in relation to the sun, and the efforts taken to reduce natural ventilation and draughts.

Government guidance (Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, 2023) suggests for landlords to consider “forms of physical testing, such as thermography” and “environmental monitoring” for complex cases of damp and condensation when identifying root causes of problems in tenanted premises.  

The report also states that “smart sensors may be a useful aid to monitor temperature, humidity and indoor air quality and to identify at-risk properties” (Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, 2023).

Peter Cox offer an indoor air monitoring system that can be used to collect and store data on the internal environment of a property, allowing our trained surveyors to use diagnostics such as temperature and humidity levels to understand any issues. Different sensors will be placed around the property in condensation hot spots to provide sensor data which can then be analysed to create an overview of indoor air quality and identify areas that require attention.

Our indoor air quality system uses SmartLink technology, which uses long range and low power connectivity between the main Hub and monitoring devices. The hub must remain plugged into the mains at all times allowing it to connect and gather real time data from with the battery operated monitoring devices.

As condensation is created at different times of the day, and can vary from household to household, to produce an appropriate amount of data we recommend the system be left in place for a minimum of one to two weeks. Our surveyor will attend the property, install the system and then return at an agreed time to complete their own survey and collect the devices.

The data collected will be inputted into a software system that can analyse, interpret and visualise the data into an indoor air quality report. This helps create a visual representation of the problem which can then be used by our surveyors to make recommendations.

As well as the indoor air quality report, our surveyor will complete a comprehensive condensation survey of the property with a detailed and thorough report on the findings.

This will be presented in an easy to understand format, and will include recommendations if necessary highlighting the need for any further remedial measures such as the installation of (positive input ventilation) PIV units, extractor fans, insulation installation or thermal plastering.

Our fully trained and qualified surveyors have decades of experience in treating condensation problems.

If you feel that you are in need of professional solutions or advice on any issue related to condensation, then we have a local team of specialists at hand to offer the advice you need. Call us now to speak to our condensation experts, or book a survey using the button below.