All homes are at risk of condensation, particularly through the winter months. Excess condensation in your home can lead to problems such as mould growth, which can affect your health and the health of your home. Small amounts of condensation are not usually a problem, and there are some everyday things we can all do to help prevent it.
This webpage and our corresponding leaflet are designed to share some practical advice that will help you manage condensation and maintain a healthy home. We’ll also share information on the different types of damp so that you can identify any potential concerns and how to let us know if there is a problem.
As your landlord, it’s our responsibility to provide you with a safe and healthy home. If you spot any damp or mould in your home or if by following these tips, excess condensation is not reduced, please let us know straight away.
- We will arrange an inspection to identify the cause of any issues you are experiencing and work together to ensure any risks, hazards or problems are resolved as a priority.
- If you have any questions about this leaflet or would like further advice about keeping a healthy and safe home, get in touch with us so that we can support you.
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What is condensation?
Condensation happens when excess moisture in the air meets a cold surface and turns into water droplets. Everyday things like cooking, cleaning, showering, bathing and breathing produce excess moisture in our homes. Condensation is more likely to occur in winter; this is because surfaces like windows and walls are colder and there is more moist, warm air inside our homes.
We also tend to keep our windows and doors shut more in winter, meaning there is less ventilation to allow moist air to escape. Small amounts of condensation, like the steam from a shower condensing on a bathroom mirror, aren’t usually a concern if it’s kept on top of. If you spot condensation on a surface, wipe it down with a dry, clean cloth or kitchen towel.
If you are concerned about excess condensation in your home, contact us.
QUICK TIP
If you spot condensation on a surface, wipe it down with a dry, clean cloth or towel.
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What is damp?
Condensation is a type of damp that is caused by excess moisture inside the home, but there are other types of damp too, such as rising damp, penetrating damp and damp caused by plumbing faults. It’s important to know how to spot these types of damp so that you can let us know if you have a problem and we can take action.
If you think you have rising damp, penetrating damp or a plumbing fault, contact us straight away so that we can arrange an inspection and take action to fix the problem.
Plumbing fault
A plumbing fault such as a leak in a water or waste pipe can cause damp. This would usually occur in a kitchen or bathroom. The damp area would be wet to touch and would remain consistently damp regardless of the weather outside.
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp is caused by water seeping through the walls from outside and is caused by structural problems such as faulty guttering or roofing. It usually shows up as a concentrated damp patch on walls, ceilings or floors with a clear edge. This type of damp often gets worse when it rains.
Rising damp
Rising damp is caused by water in the soil moving up through a wall and will only affect ground floor rooms or basements. It isn’t very common and is usually prevented by a barrier called a damp-proof course. Rising damp can occur if the damp-proof course in your home is either missing or damaged. Signs of rising damp include damaged skirting boards and floorboards, crumbling or salt-stained plaster, and peeling paint or wallpaper. Rising damp often has the appearance of a tide mark running along the bottom of a wall.
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What is mould?
Excess condensation or structural damp issues can cause sitting water on surfaces like ceilings, walls and floors. This can lead to damage in your home, such as flaking paintwork, peeling wallpaper or black mould.
Black mould can grow on any surface, but common places include windowsills, ceilings or walls. If you notice mould forming, it’s important that it’s treated straight away as it can spread quickly and be harmful to your health.
Using a clean cloth and a white vinegar spray is an effective way to treat and remove small areas of mould. White vinegar can be used safely on most surfaces and will penetrate porous materials to kill the mould at the roots.
QUICK TIP
If mould returns after cleaning it away and following the tips on the next page, a structural issue may be the cause. Please contact us straight away so that we can arrange an inspection and take action to fix the problem.
Healthy Home Top Tips
- The best way to prevent condensation is to reduce the amount of moisture produced in your home and keep it as warm and ventilated as possible. Here are some Healthy Home Top Tips to help you do this.
- Keeping your home heated helps to prevent condensation from forming on surfaces. We understand that with the rise in energy prices, keeping your home heated may be more difficult. For help with your energy bills, head to page 10. (Portable gas or paraffin heaters can create moisture, so they should be avoided.)
- If you can, setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature (recommended between 18 – 21°C) will help to keep you and your home healthy while keeping your energy bills down. For help with your energy bills, head to page 10.
- Opening windows when cooking, showering, bathing and drying clothes helps moist air escape.
- Tumble dryers should be vented to the outside, as they are a major cause of moisture in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Turning your extractor fan on when cooking, showering and bathing removes excess moisture from the air.
- Drying clothes releases moisture, so if you have access to outside space, drying clothes outdoors helps to prevent excess moisture in your home. When using a drying rack indoors, opening a window slightly or turning on your extractor fan helps to remove excess moisture.
- Closing internal doors and using a draught excluder reduces the amount of heat moving into colder areas of your home. This helps keep the heat in the rooms you use most often, making them feel more comfortable.
- Moving sofas and other furniture away from radiators or heaters helps the heat to travel more effectively around the rooms in your home.
- Wipe down windows and sills every morning, wringing out the cloth rather than drying it on a radiator. Condensation sponge strips on windows will collect the condensation and avoid damp forming under window sills. These items are available from most good Do-it-Yourself shops.
- Putting lids on pans when cooking prevents excess moisture in the air (and helps save on your energy bill!)
Identifying and reporting damp and mould
If you identify damp and mould in your home, please report to us as soon as possible. You can contact us in the following ways:
- Call 0345 60 100 30
- Email: reportdamp@orwell-housing.co.uk
- Visit our website and use our online form at: www.orwell-housing.co.uk/dampmould/
Escalation
If you have informed us of the problem and we have not resolved the issue to your satisfaction, please escalate the issue using our complaints process.
You can find the full complaints policy and procedure detailed on our website.
Visit: www.orwell-housing.co.uk/complaints
You can view and download our helpful leaflet below. You can flip through the document on screen or download to view at a later time.
Orwell Housing Association's damp and mould self-assessment
We undertook a damp and mould self-assessment in line with the Housing Ombudsman’s recommendations to social landlords. Our Customer Insight Committee approved this document and its contents in September.
