Damp and mould at home harms our health. But we can take steps to stop it in its tracks
Now that it’s colder we have to be extra vigilant against damp and mould in our home. It doesn’t just look and smell bad – it can have a serious effect on our health as well.
Small amounts of mould may be ok to wipe off walls and surfaces ourselves. But the spores released can be really bad for us. So if we have breathing problems or a long-term illness then it’s better to leave the mould for someone else to tackle.
Then we should try to get to the bottom of what’s causing the damp or mould. If we’re sure we don’t have a leak, then it’s more than likely to be caused by condensation.
Appliance of science
Following the Quids in! tips below should minimise condensation. If not, we could find a dehumidifier helps. These are electrical appliances that suck the moisture out of the air before it has a chance to form condensation. They start from around £40 but we need to get one big enough for the room affected. Just keep an eye on the running cost, which can be up to 12p an hour.
A lower tech gadget is a damp tramp. These use crystals or a moisture-absorbing tablet to draw water out of the air. Costing from around £10, plus refills for the crystals or tablet every few months, they’re sold at homeware stores and online.
Knowing our rights
If condensation isn’t the problem, the moisture may be getting into our home because of a fault in the building. That could be a leaky roof or a loose window. It could even be coming in through the insulation. In this case, we should tell our landlord ASAP and they must act to fix the problem. Not only that, but our landlord should also make sure our home is free from health hazards – including damp and mould.
Since summer 2023 a law has been in place in England and Wales to make sure landlords act quickly when we report things like damp, mould or hazards. They’re not allowed to blame us for causing the problem.
In Scotland, there are guidelines for landlords but it is not the law. But most landlords want to make sure our homes are safe. So we should report problems as soon as they arise and press for them to act quickly to sort it.
To keep condensation at bay, here’s the Quids in! list of dos and don’ts.
DO
- Keep lids on pans when cooking
- Open windows if we’re doing something that creates steam
- And use an extractor fan too (if we have one) wherever there’s steam
- Keep doors closed to keep the steam in one room
- Have window vents open (these are little mechanisms on modern windows that let more air in and out)
- Open windows on each side of our home for at least a few minutes a couple of times a day
- Leave gaps between walls and furniture to let air flow around the room
- Try to heat cold spots
- Keep the home warm
- Dry clothes outside when possible
DON’T
- Never let the temperature drop below 15C in any room
- Avoid blocking radiators by drying clothes directly on them
- Take care not to block off air vents
- Try not to over-fill cupboards and wardrobes preventing air to flow
HELP FROM YOUR LANDLORD
If we follow the Quids In! mould busting tips but still experience problems with damp or condensation in our home we should ask for help from our Landlord.
If we are a council tenant or If we are a tenant of a housing association contact them and let them know about the damp or mould issue in our home. We should contact our Housing Officer as soon as possible to discuss the problem in the property. Housing teams review each case and help us to address and prevent damp and mould in our homes.
If we are in private rented accommodation we should report it to our landlord. If we are worried about eviction, we should contact our nearest Citizens Advice Bureau to get advice first.
If we are a homeowner we should seek advice from a specialist damp and mould surveyor to find out the source of the problem if the mould keeps coming back after safely treating it with a recommended spray which we can buy in most supermarkets.
Main image: ViDI Studio / Shutterstock
Article updated 2024.
