How To Stop Condensation Damage In Your Home
It’s common knowledge that condensation within a home can cause damage over time, but not everyone knows how to stop condensation from developing and putting processes in place to prevent condensation from getting out of hand.
The experts at Rainbow have shared their knowledge to help you get your condensation under control, as well as key information you need to be able to prevent condensation from developing in the future:
- What is Condensation?
- What Causes Condensation?
- What Are Some Common Signs of Condensation in the Home?
- Why is Condensation a Problem?
- What Damage Can Condensation Cause?
- Can Condensation Affect Your Health?
- How To Prevent Condensation in 11 Easy Steps
What is Condensation?
Condensation is the name given to the process in which humid air comes into contact with a cold surface such as a window or a wall. Once it comes into contact with the cold surface, the water from the air collects as droplets.
What Causes Condensation?
In a property, condensation can develop if the temperature outside of the property is particularly cold but the inside is warm. As the warm air hits the cold windows and walls, the humidity within the air condenses and turns to water droplets on the surfaces.
What Are Some Common Signs of Condensation in the Home?
You’ve probably seen condensation in your home before, but if you’re not too sure, its usual characteristics are easy to spot. Look out for water drops collecting on windows and walls, peeling paint or wallpaper, damp smells and damp window frames.
Why Is Condensation a Problem?
Your home can suffer from dampness for several reasons, but regardless of where it comes from, excessive dampness or water on surfaces in your home can lead to water damage down the line.
Paint and wallpaper can begin to peel, structures such as windowsills and doorframes can break down and sealant can become loose, causing further damage. Dampness caused by condensation in the home also can lead to similar health concerns caused by other dampness, such as irritated airways, eyes and skin.
What Damage Can Condensation Cause?
Condensation, much like any other dampness in the home, can begin to cause damage. This can be done in several ways, including
Mould Growth
Dampness in the home increases the likelihood of mould developing. Dark, moist corners of a property are hotspots for mould, along with carpeting, wallpaper and sealant in bathrooms and kitchens. Condensation provides the water needed for mould to thrive and grow, making it a huge risk for mould growth and further damage.
Property Damage
Condensation usually leads to large buildups of water on cold surfaces, such as windows and walls. Over time, this water wears away at the surrounding areas, causing paint and wallpaper to break down and peel. It can also begin to cause damage to any woodwork in the area such as windowsills and doorframes. Going further, it can then begin to affect the sealant on windows, the structure of carpeting and damage nearby clothes.
Electrical Items
Electrical items can also be damaged by condensation. Appliances that are near cold windows or attached to exterior walls can be affected by the build-up of water surrounding them. As the water builds up, it can drip onto the appliance and cause them to become faulty, furthering the damage and even presenting a potential fire hazard.
Can Condensation Affect Your Health?
Condensation is a form of dampness, and dampness in the home can quickly become an issue for your health. Breathing in excessive moisture, or worse, mould can begin to inflame your airways and irritate your skin and eyes. Nasal congestion can develop too, along with a nasty cough and chest tightness that can cause wheezing and an irritated throat. If you are exposed to it for prolonged periods of time, lung function can be reduced and other health issues such as asthma can develop.
How To Prevent Condensation In 11 Easy Steps
Luckily, knowing how to stop condensation is fairly simple and is often a quick fix for many. Check out our 11 easy steps you can take to prevent condensation from building up on your property…
Install an Extractor Fan
A straightforward way to begin tackling condensation is to install an extractor fan. Ventilation allows the moisture to leave your property instead of turning into condensation, so having an extractor fan in your kitchen and bathroom will help to control humidity levels.
Wipe Down Windows
Wipe down any cold surfaces such as windows, bathroom tiles and walls if you spot condensation forming. By ridding the surfaces of any moisture that has found itself there, you lessen the chance of mould developing and prevent condensation from worsening.
Ensure Your Washing Machine is Ventilated
A washing machine can release a lot of humid air that contains plenty of water ready to turn into condensation. To prevent condensation from developing around the appliance, you should ensure it’s ventilated to allow the humidity to escape the property instead of building up.
Use Pan Lids When Cooking
Whenever a pan of water is boiling, steam is released into the air and quickly condenses on the tiling and surfaces nearby. Any type of cooking can release water, but pans are especially good at creating moisture. By covering your pans with a lid, you trap the moisture and prevent it from being released into the air and further prevent condensation.
Check Out Your Insulation
Insulation around the home, from windows to lofts, will prevent excessive amounts of heat from leaving the property, helping to maintain a steady temperature. This lowers the chance of condensation from developing, as the humid air needs a cold surface for water droplets to form.
Turn On Your Extractor Fan When Using The Shower
Similarly to cooking, using the extractor fan when showering guides the humid air out of the property and away from the cold surfaces, preventing condensation from forming.
Dry Clothes Outdoors
Whenever the weather permits you should try to dry your clothes outside instead of inside the property. When the clothes dry, they release moisture into the air, increasing the chance of condensation forming and creating a humid space that encourages mould growth and further damage.
Close Kitchen and Bathroom Doors
The rooms in your home that hold the most amount of moisture tend to be the kitchen and bathroom. Cooking food, boiling water, steamy showers and more all encourage moisture to spread throughout the rooms and condense on cold surfaces. By keeping the doors closed to these rooms, you can control where this humid air goes and prevent it from spreading throughout the property and making condensation an even bigger issue.
Place Your Furniture In The Right Place
Your furniture should never be against a wall directly. You must encourage air circulation to avoid condensation from developing, so having it at least 5cm away from walls is crucial. This is especially true for furniture against exterior walls, as these are more likely to be cold and be a hotspot for condensation.
Maintain a Constant Temperature
A consistent and adequate temperature within a property will prevent condensation to a noticeable extent. You’re less likely to have cold surfaces for the humid air to condense on.
Get In Touch For Rainbow’s Support With Your Property
Managing dampness in the home, whether it’s working to stop condensation damage, plugging a water leak or managing electrical faults, can be a difficult task. The risk to health and further damage it can cause makes it stressful to deal with.
Instead, rely on Rainbow International’s team of experienced experts. Our damp diagnosis and mould remediation services are designed to help you protect your home and keep it safe. Get in touch today to find out how we can help and support you with your property.