How To Get Rid Of Damp And Condensation In Rented Homes
Many rented houses and flats often have pre-existing damp and condensation on windows, window frame and walls. What causes this damp in the house? how can you prevent condensation? and who’s responsibility is it for removing it? Find out all of that and more here.
What Is Damp In The Home
Dampness or just Damp is a localised excess of naturally occurring moisture. The excess is either caused by a sudden increase in the amount of moisture in the home, or a gradual local build-up of moisture caused by its inability to escape.
What Causes Condensation
Condensation is the most common household damp problem. It is predominantly caused when there is too much humidity inside the home, or a build-up of warm, moist air that collides with cold surfaces inside the house.
Moisture is perfectly natural in a home, with cooking, perspiration, drying of clothes inside. However, If the moisture in the air is not regulated throughout the property then the warm contained in the home will cool quickly when coming into contact with chilly surfaces.
Condensation usually occurs throughout Autumn & Winter. This is when ventilation and circulation is at its lowest within the property as people close the windows and doors to keep the warmth in and heating bills at a minimum. The external colder air causes windows to drop in temperate so when the warm moisture ridden air comes into contact with it, it causes the liquid droplets we all associate condensation with. In other words, normal tenant-like use of the property adds to the moisture in the atmosphere.
What Causes Penetrating Damp
Penetrating damp usually occurs in older buildings, or ones with defects. The causes of penetrating damp are usually as a result of poor maintenance of the property, however there are a number of sources that can cause penetrating damp such as:
Different Types Of Building Defects – This includes overflowing gutters, leaking or blocked pipes, damaged pointing & flashing, dilapidated or poorly installed windows and missing roof tiles.
Porous Walls – Ageing bricks lose their ability to keep out rain penetration while cracks allow for problematic water ingress.
Spalled Bricks & Degraded Mortar – Damage to brickwork can also allow water to penetrate into the rented the property
What Causes Rising Damp
Rising damp is often confused with penetrating damp. It is a relatively rare form of damp the affects that walls of buildings. It occurs when moisture travels up through walls. Essentially, the ground. Water is sucked up through tiny tubes in the bricks acting as series of straws.
Rising damp usually reaches a height of about 1 metre, however, is still very serious once the moisture penetrates vulnerable materials. Newer properties have damp proofing course that will stop this action and ensure this does not become an issue for your property. If renting a property – it is imperative to ensure a damp proofing course is present.
How to Get Rid Of Household Condensation
If caught early, condensation can be very treatable. The main treatment method would be improving the ventilation throughout the rented property. This can be achieved by opening windows, drying clothes outside or even installing a tumble dryer to name a few.
Adding ventilation fans to the property will also reduce and prevent condensation. It will allow for more air to exit the property swiftly. However, If mould is occurring in your home, you can purchase mould kits in order to terminate it in the short-term. Long-term mould should be dealt with by professionals at Orchard Preservations.
The bottom line is that ventilation and extraction of moist air within a property needs to be improved in order to get rid of and prevent condensation in the future.
How To Treat Rising Damp
To full treat rising damp, the source of the moisture must be first located and removed. A quick fix solution, however rising damp can be very serious if not treated over a longer period of time. New builds should come equipped with the most effective rising damp treatment – damp proofing course.
The majority of houses being rented should have these installed, however those without require professional installation found at Orchard Preservations. Contact us today for more information on rising damp, condensation and penetrating damp.
