With the cold snap hitting the UK this week, millions will be waking up to find condensation on their windows. Temperatures are expected to plunge as low as -4C in Greater Manchester over the next few days, with highs of little more than freezing later this week.
Condensation becomes a major problem for many homes during the winter months, and as temperatures drop even further this week, the issue will be more noticeable. It can also lead to mould growth, which is both unsightly and harmful to health.
The death of toddler Awaab Ishak, in a social flat where the housing association was found not to have acted on the family's complaints about mould for several months, has put the spotlight on just how damaging the problem can be. Exposure to mould was found to have led to the breathing conditions that caused the two-year-old's fatal cardiac arrest.
Awaab's story is an extreme case, but mould is a common issue for many people living across Greater Manchester, in both rented and purchased properties. Brandon Wagstaffe, surveyor at Altrincham -based Atlas Survey and Building Services, says older properties simply weren't made to cope with modern everyday lifestyles, meaning condensation is ever more common.
"Older style brick constructed properties were not built with added insulation qualities that new build properties now provide," he said. "Installing double glazed units, central heating and closing up coal fires provides us with warm draught free homes, but we are now suffering from surface moisture problems on walls now more readily.
"In short, our lifestyles have changed. We are showering more often, introducing modern day appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers; we are drying clothes indoors on radiators, the list can go on.
"All these create additional airborne moisture into the property over and above what we ourselves create personally and this is leading to severe problems of condensation. We are not extracting the moisture out of the building."
Sleeping with the door shut and no ventilation means moisture is absorbed in cold areas, such as external walls, below windows and corners of rooms - with each person producing an average of one litre of airborne moisture per night. Meanwhile, a family of five produces an average 50 litres of airborne moisture a day, which needs adequate extraction to prevent severe condensation.
Brandon says it is important to achieve a balance between insulation, ventilation and heating in order to minimise the build-up of condensation. As well as fungal growth and the impact on health, damp walls caused by condensation can also lead to wood and plaster being damaged, plus heat loss.
Here is Brandon's top advice on how to cut condensation in your home...
Share your advice on tackling condensation at home in the comments section below
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