What is condensation?
You may know condensation as the droplets of moisture that appear on your windows and windowsills during the colder months. Whenever there is a lot of humidity in the air and a large difference in temperature between warm interior and cold exterior of the house, the cooling around the windows will make the excess moisture condense into water droplets.
What causes Condensation?
The primary reason for condensation is lack of adequate ventilation. When the house is airtight, with double glazed windows, removed fireplaces or fitted carpets, the moisture may get sealed inside. Add to this the winter season, with draught-proof windows and the lack of airflow, and you’ll have a real condensation problem.
Sources of High moisture include:
- penetrating & rising dampness
- Increased air humidity due to heavy rains, snow, etc.
- boiling a kettle
- drying laundry inside the house
- poorly ventilated bathrooms
- or even breathing
How Do I Identify Condensation?
Water droplets are easy to spot on the large surfaces like windows, windowsills, walls and sometimes floors. But the really dangerous condensation occurs hidden from view, under the floorboards, inside the walls, or under roof spaces. There, it can lead to serious timber decay and Dry or Wet Rot infestations. Click here to learn more about Dry Rot and dangers of high moisture build up in structural timber.
If you notice a lot of condensation on your windows it is a good indicator you have a damp problem. Request our survey to find out if the dampness has some damaging effects on your house.
Common Signs of Condensation Include:
- Water droplets condensing on the windows and other cold surfaces
- A damp musty smell
- Black mould appearing on surfaces like walls, floors or skirting boards
How To Treat Condensation?
We recommend two main ways of controlling excess of condensation in your house. You can fight condensation by installing mechanical fans or air condition units. The sensitive areas would be kitchens, bathrooms and basements.
01 Improve ventilation
If the dampness problem persists it is wise to consult a specialist and find out if condensation affected areas hidden from view, for example, under the floorboards or roofs spaces.If so then a more professional maintenance needs to be carried out to improve the airflow.
02 Gain access to infected areas.
Avoid large changes in of temperature. Instead of letting your house cool down when you leave and warming it back up when you return, try maintaining a low level of heating throughout a day. There will be less condensation, the air will feel warmer, and you might learn that your bills are lower as well.