How to Prevent Damp & Mould in Homes
England has many old buildings, and of course that means (especially with our cold rainy weather a lot of the time) that many homes have issues with damp. This is not just uncomfortable but can cause health problems, and of course is also a problem for landlords with unhappy tenants, or hotel owners.
However, there are a quite a few free and very affordable tweaks you can make, to help reduce and sometimes eliminate damp, without installing an expensive damp-proofing course (though this may be needed for serious rising damp issues).
Aeroseal UK offers automated air sealing that complies with most building types, if you need extra help to stop leaks.
Lakeland Paints offers an anti-mould eggshell product for kitchens and bathrooms that dries in a few hours, but do not wet or scuff until fully cured after 10 days.
Solving damp is important not just for health, but to ensure the building survives, as serious damp can start to penetrate through brick and stone. It’s caused when moisture in the air hits a cold surface (like windows on cold mornings, and the sun usually clears this up pretty quickly).
But when there is no sunlight to do this (or air), you get rising damp in walls, that moves up through the house. This can get worse after rain, especially with faulty guttering or roofs.
It typically occurs in colder exposed areas of the house, or when homes are not insulated. This is why Greens for instance, want a nationwide free insulation program for older homes, which would solve the issues, keep people warm, reduce bills and provide skilled jobs for years.
Damp also happens where air can’t circulate, like behind furniture. And also in rooms more prone to moisture like kitchens and bathrooms, with bad ventilation or poorly sealed units. Even from cooking, boiling kettles, showers and breathing!
The average household produces up to 100 litres of moisture a week, so if not removed, it will either stay in the air or build up in homes.
Black mould and musty smells are common signs, as is peeling damp paint or wallpaper. Damp in itself is not dangerous, but if it creates mould it could be, especially with people who have weak immunities and asthma etc.
Simple tips to avoid damp in homes
- Dry clothes outdoors when possible. If you dry clothes indoors, do so in a ‘wet room’ to avoid mould forming in lounges and bedrooms.
- Cover your pots and pans, when cooking.
- Wipe down walls and windows in homes and on shower screens.
- Dehumidifiers are good, they can suck in excess moisture, you’d be surprised how much water you have in walls, if you use one.
- Improve ventilation, but opening windows (if safe to do so) for at least five minutes a few times daily, and run extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens, if you have them.
Ensure you use heating efficiently. Avoid heating rooms unnecessarily, but keep at a reasonable heat when possible, and install radiator boosters, to ensure warm air is not ‘going out the wall to heat the street. These will massively save on bills, too.
How to remove existing damp
- First, address where it’s coming from, otherwise it will be like painting the fourth bridge!
- Most times for serious problems, you’ll need a professional. So ensure they have Trustmark-certification (a government assurance for someone who is qualified and reputable).
- To remove mould, wear gloves and a mask, and use disposable cloths to throw away. Only wipe away mould when wet, and work in a ventilated area. Keep doors to other rooms closed, to avoid spreading mould. Keep other adults, children and pets away:
Never mix any vinegar with any bleach, as it causes toxic gas.
- White vinegar lowers the PH of surfaces and is a natural disinfectant. Use neat or mix with equal parts of water and spray onto affected aera, leave for an and then wipe clean with a disposable cloth (and bin).
- You can alternatively use bicarbonate of soda which is more abrasive. Make a paste with water, apply and leave for 30 minutes, the scrub off and wipe clean. Again bin any cloths used.
- Oxygen bleach (no chlorine) can also be mixed with water as instructed, and applied to sit for 10 minutes. Again then remove, rinse and clean.
You can pour any remaining (clean) oxygen bleach down sinks and drains, to help clean and refresh them, as it only remains active for a little while, after mixing.
Delphis Eco Antibacterial Sanitiser (also in bulk size) has undergone extensive testing to confirm its effectiveness against mould, algae, various bacteria and enveloped viruses).
