Image credit: Shutterstock/Konstantin Christian
When the weather keeps changing from warm to cold, it can feel like condensation is an unwelcome guest who has long overstayed its welcome.
These pesky droplets of water can show up on windows and ceilings, toilet cisterns and walls.
Ignore them, and you’ll not only end up with puddles of water everywhere, but potentially cause damage to your home.
What is condensation?
Condensation is caused by too much moisture in the air. While air always contains an element of moisture, when it becomes too much to handle it reaches the ‘dew point’ and the excess moisture turns into water droplets that attach themselves to cold surfaces.
What damage can it cause?
The risk of peeling paint, wet carpet, lifting wallpaper, rotting wood and mould – all the result of condensation dampness – an issue which has probably “become the major cause of ‘environmental’ dampness within a property” according to experts at the Property Care Association (PCA).
When you realise that the average household (based on a family of four), generates approximately 24 pints (14 litres) of airbone water through normal everyday activities such as cooking, washing, bathing and even breathing it’s no wonder our homes are full of moisture.
While it’s clear we can’t just stop these necessary activities, are there any ways we can water down this unwanted water?
The good news is there are plenty of tricks – and some don’t even cost a penny.
Always use lids on your pots and pans when cooking unless your recipe specifically says to keep the lid off. Make sure you use the minimum amount of water needed – for example, don’t fill a pan to the brim to cook rice when only a few cups of water are required.
As well as reducing the amount of steam released, it will also save energy by cooking your food more quickly.
According to the PCA, if you’re running a bath, add the cold water first and then add the hot. Adding cold before hot will reduce the amount of steam generated by up to 90%.
While it may seem luxurious to bathe in a hot and steamy atmosphere, it’s sadly not a great beauty treatment for your walls.
Although it may seem contradictory to talk about open and closed windows and doors in the same point, it’s the equal measure of both that will get the best condensation reduction results.
Close your doors when you know you’ll be adding extra moisture to the air to prevent it escaping to other rooms in the house. This includes when you are bathing or showering, cooking, or drying clothes on an airer.
The right amount of ventilation is key to reducing condensation. Where possible, opening a window is the first thing you should do. The Energy Saving Trust also says: “Ventilate so the moist air leaves the house.
"Always use the extractor fan when you’re cooking, showering or bathing, leave any window vents open, and don’t block off any other vents.”
Avoid using radiators to dry clothes where possible. The fact they are located on walls means you’ve got an automatic magnetic-like attraction between the moisture evaporating from your clothes and the wall.
Consider using a heated airer such as this one from Lakeland.
As a heated airer owner, I’d thoroughly recommend getting a cover as it speeds up the drying time.
If you’re in the process of undertaking your annual spring clean and moving the furniture to remove any dust that’s gathered, don’t push it back against the wall when you’re finished. Leave room for the air to circulate around the room – and behind the sofa.
Where possible, also try to ensure furniture isn’t placed against external walls – internal walls are better as they are warmer and attract less condensation.
It’s easy to forget to clean bathroom extraction units when they’re placed high and don’t catch your eye. Unfortunately, the slatted or grid design makes them a dust magnet, and the more there is, the worse your fan’s performance.
Next time you’ve got the vacuum out, use an appropriate tool to clear away the dust. Or use a telescopic microfibre duster such as this one from John Lewis. It will be money well spent – you can also use it to clean blinds.
Kitchen extraction fans also reduce moisture as well as smells, so make sure maintaining them is part of your regular cleaning routine. If the fan has removable liners, ensure they are regularly washed and replace them as necessary.
The harder the extractor works, the drier your home.
Although many of us lower our thermostat it can have a negative effect on condensation. The colder the inside of your home is, the more chance there is for condensation to form.
Anything below 15 °C (59 °F) increases the risk of condensation, so try to avoid falling below this temperature, particularly in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms where more moisture is generated.
If you can’t dry clothes outside or have an older house with colder external walls that are more prone to condensation, a dehumidifier may prove a worthwhile purchase.
With some costing as little as 5p an hour to run, using one in rooms where you know condensation to be an issue could save you having to invest in costly damp treatment further down the line.
If you are thinking of redecorating and know you’ve got a problem with condensation, why not try specialist products that may help?
Anti-condensation paint claims to prevent moisture forming on your walls. It works by improving the thermal performance of your walls to make them less cold - thus lowering the risk of damp.
This paint will only work if cold surfaces are the main cause of your condensation. And as with many specialist paints, painting over them will also reduce or negate their efficacy.
Although it may seem another chore to add to the list, removing condensation is one of the most important things you can do to tackle the problem.
Leaving it only worsens the problem and the longer a surface remains wet, the more chance there is of mould and damp forming.
For windows and sills, use a multi-purpose window squeegee such as this one from Amazon. It’ll help keep your windows streak-free as well as removing the excess moisture.
For sanitary ware and walls, microfibre cloths are an essential part of any cleaning kit. Quick to absorb moisture, they can also be regularly popped in the washing machine to keep them squeaky clean.
They are easily found in most supermarket stores, or you can buy them in bulk from Amazon and take advantage of the variety of colours to separate them for use in specific rooms.
Don’t forget to use gloves and open windows if you have discovered mould and use a specialist cleaner to remove it.
Although for most of us, opening windows, clearing condensation, and keeping homes at a steady temperature will help, circumstances sometimes make this difficult. This is especially true if you are at home a lot or live in an older house with poor insulation.
James Berry, Technical Manager from the PCA says: “If it’s not viable to provide appropriate ventilation through the basic steps above, especially during the colder months, one of the most effective ways to then tackle the issue is through the installation of a ventilation system."
"Where condensation is a real problem though,” adds Berry, “we would encourage engagement with a specialist surveyor to explore the cause(s) and to help find a solution."
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