10 Measures to help reduce condensation in the home
06/12/2024
- Monitor your heating - Many homes remain unoccupied and unheated throughout the day, allowing the fabric of the home to cool down. The moisture producing activities are then concentrated into a relatively short period. This sudden increase in warm air can produce condensation as the air comes into contact with the relatively cold structure which is still warming up. The best way therefore to reduce this is to having continuous low background heating on throughout the day in the winter months.
- When taking a shower or bath ensure that you turn on an extractor fan or open a window to get rid of the steam that is created.
- When cooking ensure that you cover your pans with a lid to reduce moisture. Also ensure that you have opened a window or turned on an extractor fan if you have one. Keep the windows open and keep the extractor fan on until about 15-20 minutes after you have finished cooking to clear the air.
- When cooking or making a brew, ensure that the kitchen or bathroom doors are kept closed to prevent steam going into colder rooms which will cause condensation to form.
- If you don't have an extractor fan in your bathroom or kitchen, get a humidity controlled one and make sure that you wipe down the surfaces after cooking or showering to remove any moisture that has settled on the surface. This excess moisture, if allowed to build up, can very quickly turn to mould!
- If you have a tumble dryer, ensure it is vented correctly. 2 litres of water can be emitted into the air from just one load of drying!
- Where possible try to dry clothes outside to prevent excess moisture creeping into the home. If this is not possible, always open your windows in these rooms or use a dehumidifier to capture excess water
- Sleep is a major cause of warm moist air, ensure you have passive vents & open any trickle vents.
- Ensure your furniture is away from the surrounding walls so that air can move around the home. A further tip here is to try and put wardrobes against internal walls which will be less cold than external walls.
- If you use a room on a regular basis, such as a living room, open a window slightly to improve the ventilation. Breathing is another cause of condensation.
