How to Stop Condensation and Keep Moisture Out of Your Home

Although it often seems like nothing to worry about, condensation can actually cause serious problems in your home. When left untreated, it can lead to damp walls, structural issues, musty smells, and mould. It is better for your health and your wallet to put a stop to it as quickly as possible and prevent it from recurring by tackling the root causes. Here are the strategies you need to know to keep condensation out of your home.

Improve Your Ventilation

Of all the known condensation solutions, none are simpler than improving your home’s ventilation. All this really means is letting air move around freely, which causes stale and damp air to be replaced by air that is fresh and dry. Opening your windows for a few minutes each day can let in enough fresh air to make a big difference, and leaving room doors open to let air circulate around the house also helps.

Focus On Problematic Areas

As the key water entry points into the home, kitchens and bathrooms tend to suffer more with moisture and condensation than other areas. If you have extractor fans in these rooms, make sure you use them while cooking and showering, and let the bathroom extractor fan run for 15 minutes or so after you have finished. Other things that can help in these places are wiping down surfaces after use, decorating them with mould-resistant paint, and regular cleaning.

Use a Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are excellent tools for property moisture control. They do not treat the root causes of condensation, but they are very effective at dealing with the humid air it causes. Rather than just extracting it, dehumidifiers remove the water vapour from the air and deliver dry air back into the room. This makes them useful for poorly ventilated areas that fresh air cannot reach. Keeping the air dry also lowers the risk of mould growth.

Insulate Your Home

Condensation occurs when warm, humid air comes into contact with a cold surface. So the more cold surfaces you have in your home, the more likely condensation is to form. Keeping your home warm is the key to preventing cold surfaces, so it is important to make sure your home is well-insulated. Loft and cavity wall insulation usually prevents the most heat loss, with double-glazed windows, thermal curtains, and window films also helping.

Monitor Humidity Levels

You do not have to wait until your window panes are steamy or your house smells musty to start removing the moisture from your home. Monitoring the humidity level can give you an early warning that trouble is on the horizon. Generally, indoor humidity falls between 40 and 60%, so if it spikes above this, you know it’s time to switch on the dehumidifier and search for where the problem is coming from.

Conclusion

Dry homes are more than just comfortable, they are safe and healthy too. That’s why it is important to prevent condensation and moisture from forming, and to deal with them promptly if they do. If your home is suffering with persistent condensation, call Damp Proofing Ltd on 020 7593 8030 to have our experts handle it.