• Contents
• Our repairs service
• Types of repairs
• Handy hints
• Useful information
• A-Z index

Dealing with condensation

An average family produces over two 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.

What is condensation?

Moisture builds up in the air. There is always some moisture in the air, but people create more by cooking, taking baths, drying clothes indoors, and by using bottled-gas heaters. This extra moisture builds up in the house if it cannot escape.

Warm, moist air condenses when it cools. 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. Mould forms on walls, cills and cupboards. Mildew forms on clothes, particularly leather. Wallpaper and paint peel as water gets underneath.

What produces excess moisture?

Steam that is produced by:

• clothes drying on radiators;
• pans boiling without lids;
• baths, showers and washing up; or
• washing machines and tumble driers without outside vents.

People and pets:

• sleeping in unventilated spaces;
• training or exercising indoors; or
• a lot of people in your home, for example, for a party.

You should not use bottled-gas or paraffin room heaters or cookers. They can be dangerous and are an expensive method of heating.

What you can do to stop it

Produce less moisture

• Cover pans and switch off kettles once they have boiled.
• Dry clothes outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms.

Control where moisture goes

• Close doors to prevent steam going into other colder rooms.
• Open windows so that steam can escape, or fit an extractor fan.
• Open windows for a while each day to allow a change of air, or open window trickle vents.
• Wipe away moisture if it settles.

Keep your home warm. Maintain a low background heat. This needn't mean increased heating costs. Also, take steps to prevent heat loss, but do not block air vents.