Mould will grow in cold areas with high relative humidity.  If you notice leaks or water ingress, contact a plumber or roofer as soon as possible as even slow leaks will increase the humidity in your home and can be very destructive.Drying laundry indoors on airers releases approximately 2.5 litres of moisture in to the air per load, greatly increasing the humidity in the home environment.

When possible dry your clothes in a tumble drier.  Tumble driers that are vented directly to the outside are ideal, but if you have a condenser drier make sure that you empty the water tray every time you use it. When it is necessary to dry laundry indoors, this should be done on an airer positioned near to a radiator (do not put wet clothes directly on to your radiators), preferably in a room with an extractor fan working.

UV light can help deter mould growth so open your curtains and blinds to let the sunlight in.

Avoid having mop buckets of water or wet cloths in bathrooms and kitchens. Keep your property as dry as possible.

We offer loft insulation as part of our services because not only does it improve the EPC rating and thermal efficiency of a property but it eliminates ceiling cold zones that lead to mould colonisation. If you already have insulation, make sure that it is dry and not crushed by items in the loft.  If you are considering boarding your loft, be sure to put the boards on loft legs so that your insulation will still work.  If you don’t have insulation feel free to contact us for a quote.

Ensure that your gutters and roof is free from organic debris and leaves as blocked gutters will over flow on to brickwork, and if this becomes saturated will cause internal damp and mould.  It is also important to have damaged gutters and downpipes repaired so that storm water goes directly to a drain and doesn’t run on to your exterior walls or form pools at ground level.

Keep drains and low level areas on the perimeter of your property clean so that water doesn’t pool against the brickwork.  If you see patches of green on your bricks and at floor level this is usually an indication that the there is repeated water exposure and this can lead to internal damp and mould.

Whilst the age old advice offered in preventing mould is to open windows to ventilate.  However, if the conditions outside are cold and wet, you will be making your home colder when your windows are open and you won’t have the full benefit  of your central heating.

Make the most of trickle vents if your windows have them, and if you don’t have effective extraction ventilation in place, keep your bathroom and kitchen doors closed during and after use, to isolate the moisture.  If your windows have a restrictor in place that allows you to secure it in a partially open position this also can help moisture escape without negative effects to the internal temperature.

Remember that opening windows is passive ventilation and if you already have mould present you will need active ventilation to reduce the humidity that is causing it.

Mould is no indication of cleanliness and in many cases is caused by factors in the building as opposed to its occupants. Whilst it is unpleasant to have mould in the home, remember that disturbing the mould can act as a catalyst for spores to colonise and become airborne.  This is when they can become irritants to the eyes, skin and lungs.  Even when mould is wiped away, without professional treatment it will return.

Building regulations part F states that in rental properties, kitchens, bathrooms and wet rooms should have adequate ventilation to prevent a build-up of humidity leading to damp and mould.  Whether you are a landlord or home owner, if you have a mould issues there is a possibility that your current extraction ventilation is not efficient enough.  Contact us for a no obligation chat about the best solution for your property.