❄️ It’s that time of the year AGAIN! ❄️
TOP 4 TIPS - HOW POOLE HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS CAN FIGHT THE BATTLE WITH THIS EVEN IN THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES THIS WINTER.
1) Produce less moisture
Simple things make a huge difference, like keeping the lids on pans when cooking, drying clothes outdoors (and especially not on radiators), opening the window after showering, venting your tumble dryer to the outside and avoiding using paraffin heaters or flue-less bottled gas heaters which produce a lot of moisture.
2) Let the moist air out and the fresh air in
Extractor fans are an effective way to get rid of moist air / steam so that less condensation forms. Some very modern homes have extractor fans which run continuously, fitted in the ceilings of bath and shower rooms. They use very little electricity. If your home doesn’t already have extractor fans, then it's well worth getting them fitted in the bathroom and kitchen. Fans that run on a timer, humidistat or pull-cord typically have a rating of 8-30W. A 30W appliance would need to run continuously for nearly a day and a half to use one unit (about 15p) of electricity.
Stopping moist air getting into the rest of your home. When cooking or bathing, keep the kitchen or bathroom door shut and open the window before you leave so that the steam goes outside instead of the rest of the house.
Meanwhile, let fresh air circulate to avoid mould forming where the air is still. Make sure there is a gap between your furniture and the walls and frequently give wardrobes and cupboards a good airing or leave the door open a jar.
3) Insulate and draught-proof your home
Warm homes suffer less from condensation, so you should make sure your house is well insulated. This means insulating your loft to the recommended depth of 270mm (about 11 inches), and your cavity walls (if your house has them). Your windows and external doors should be draught-proofed, and you should consider secondary glazing if your windows are draughty.
4) Heat your home a little more and more often
While you don’t want to waste money heating rooms you don’t use, very cold rooms are more likely to get damp and mould. Set the thermostatic radiator valve to at least 1 in unused rooms so the radiator gives out a little bit of heat whenever you have the heating on. If you don’t have central heating, consider using a room heater with a timer and temperature control. Remember, unused rooms will also need a good airing. We personally recommend long low heat rather than short bursts of high heat as short bursts tend to cause the mould sores to reproduce quicker.
This is just 4 tips, we have collected many more, after 27 years as a letting agent I have each year found this problem in peoples homes, usually education of the resident resolves the issue after time, if you have an issue in your Poole home or rental property get in touch on 01202 621900 or sarah@lewisdean.com and I will be happy to share more hints / tips to help you :)