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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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