Advice for condensation, damp and mould

Read our advice and tips for tackling common causes of condensation in the home, which can lead to damp and mould. 

  1. Cooking

    • Cover pots with lids when cooking  
    • Use an extractor fan or open a window to let steam out of the kitchen and wipe away any excess water on floors, tiling and worktops  
    • Shut the kitchen door  
    • Only boil the water you need in the kettle  
  2. Heating

    • Make sure your home is heated adequately. Aim to heat living rooms to 21 degrees Celsius and bedrooms to 18 degrees Celsius 
    • It's effective to keep your home at a constant temperature all day. This'll help raise the internal temperature of surfaces and reduce condensation forming 
  3. Showering

    • Turn on an extractor fan if you have one or open a window to allow moisture to escape 
    • Keep the bathroom door shut when showering 
    • Use a bath mat to soak up moisture and reduce condensation 
    • Run cold water in the bath before adding hot 
  4. Ventilation

    • Ventilate bedrooms by leaving a window slightly open at night if it's safe to do so 
    • Trickle vents must remain open (a trickle vent is a small opening in a window that allows ventilation)
    • Do not block air vents 
    • Open windows slightly for at least 15-20 minutes each day on both sides of your home to help air circulate 
    • Condensation is most common in the colder months. This is the most important time to ventilate your property 
    • Pull all furniture away from external walls, including beds   
    • Leave a gap between the curtains and the wall during the day 
    • Don't over-fill cupboards and shelves to allow space for the air to circulate
  5. Washing

    • Dry clothes outside 
    • If you need to dry clothes indoors make sure the room is heated and ventilated. Keep a window open, or extractor fan running to allow moisture to escape  
    • Don't dry your washing on radiators. Wet clothes on a radiator fill the room with moisture in seconds 
    • If you have a tumble dryer make sure it's vented properly 
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