DEALING WITH CONDENSATION

An average family produces over 2 gallons of moisture every day. This moisture needs to escape.

Mould forms where condensation cannot dry out. Your home needs fresh air as well as heat. Fresh air helps dry out surfaces.

All households can suffer from condensation. There are simple ways of controlling it.

1. What is Condensation?
2. What Produces excess Moisture?
3. What you Can do to Stop it

What is Condensation?

Moisture builds up in the air

1. There is always some moisture in the air.
2. People create additional moisture by cooking, taking baths, drying clothes indoors, and by using paraffin or bottled gas heaters.
3. This extra moisture builds up in the house if it cannot escape.

Warm, moist air 'condenses' when it cools

1. When moist air condenses, water forms on cool surfaces such as walls, mirrors, wall tiles and windows, and some clothes.

Condensation that does not dry out causes mould, mildew and rot

1. Mould forms on walls, cills and cupboards.
2. Mildew forms on clothes, particularly leather items.
3. Wallpaper and paint peel as water gets underneath.

What Produces excess Moisture?

Steam that is produced by:

1. clothes as they dry on radiators
2. kettles and pans boiling for long periods or without lids
3. baths, showers and washing up
4. washing machines and tumble driers without external vents.

People breathing and perspiring:

1. sleeping in unventilated spaces
2. doing training or fitness exercises indoors
3. groups of people in confined spaces, particularly if dancing.

Appliances that burn bottled gas or paraffin:

1. bottled gas room heaters
2. bottled gas cookers
3. paraffin room heaters.

(We do not encourage use of such appliances. They can be dangerous and are an expensive method of heating.)

What you Can do to Stop it

Produce less moisture

1. Cover pans and switch off kettles once boiled.
2. Dry clothes outdoors wherever possible. Otherwise use well-ventilated rooms.

Control where excess moisture goes

1. Close kitchen/bathroom doors to prevent steam going into other colder rooms.
2. Open kitchen/bathroom windows so that steam can escape, or fit an extractor fan.
3. Open windows for a while each day to allow a change of air.
4. Do not use bottled gas or paraffin heaters.
5. Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles.

Keep your home warm

1. Maintain low background heat. This needn't mean increased heating costs.
2. Take steps to prevent heat loss but do not block air vents. See Joint Responsibility for Safety in RESPONSIBILITIES.

What is Condensation | What Produces excess Moisture? | What you Can do to Stop it

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