Condensation And Mould In Dwellings

Condensation can affect any type of house or flat.  High levels of condensation can discolour decorations, cause mould growth and in the worst cases lead to dry rot as well as affect the health of the occupants.

One of the great myths surrounding condensation is that it is only associated with the lifestyle of the occupants.

Surveyors can offer a remarkable range of advice, such as: open the windows and turn up the heat; don’t take too many baths; don’t let your kettle boil too long; don’t dry clothes indoors; put lids on your saucepans; wash down the walls with bleach; don’t put furniture up against walls.

If this this sort of advice is given following a carefully considered diagnostic process, then it could help in resolving the problem. In practice, condensation results from a lack of understanding of what it is and why it occurs.

Condensation occurs when warm moist air comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as poorly insulated walls and windows.

There are no firm rules about when condensation will and will not occur but in general it can be controlled by the correct balance between the levels of insulation, heating and ventilation within a property.  

As every house is different you will require specific advice, particularly on whether the condensation is

(a) transient and will disappear with a change of living conditions; or

(b) is a result of inherent defects in the construction of the building that require significant financial expenditure.    

Please contact Woodward Chartered Surveyors for further advice by clicking here.