Stopping Condensation

Condensation in the home can be a serious problem. If left untreated, it can damage wallpaper, fixtures and fittings and can lead to serious damp issues. Spotting the causes of condensation in the home is one of the first steps to ensuring your property is a comfortable place to spend time in.

Condensation in the home is usually a bigger issue in winter. The cold weather affects the moisture levels in the atmosphere - creating damp conditions and potential problems for homes up and down the country. One of the worst aspects is condensation on walls, which makes the atmosphere of your home feel unwelcoming. It is also common to see condensation on windows. The appearance of black mould is a sign you have a condensation problem.

No matter what style, shape or size of house you own, you may encounter issues and want to know how to stop condensation. Here at Permagard, we want you to feel warm and secure in your home so we have created this guide that details how you can stop condensation.

how to stop condensation build-up

How to Stop Condensation Build-up

1. Ventilate your Home

Making sure your house is well ventilated is one of the most important steps you can take to reduce condensation. This can easily be achieved by opening windows or window trickle vents to allow moist air to move out of the building lowering the chance of condensation occurring. The installation of our Perma-Vent Standard is ideal if no trickle vents are installed or opening windows for long lengths of time is not convenient. Cross-ventilating by opening windows across opposite sides of the house is more effective. Click the link for more on how to ventilate your house.

2. Install Humidistat Controlled Extractor Fans or Heat Recovery Units

If you don’t have access to appropriate ventilation in your property, you will need to ensure you have a good humidistat controlled extractor fan or Heat Recovery Unit installed. It is best to install these in areas where you are creating high levels of moisture such as the kitchen and bathroom. When you are boiling pans, for example, the humidistat controlled extractor fan or heat recovery unit will turn itself on, extracting moisture laden air until a low level of moisture in the air is achieved. 

3. Maintain a Constant Temperature

When it comes to stopping condensation, there is one method that is often overlooked - temperature.

When you heat a room the warm air can hold a greater amount of moisture than cooler air. When warm air in the room dramatically cools at night, the cooler air cannot hold the same volume of moisture so it is deposited as condensation on cold surfaces like windows and external walls. This is why the most commonly recognisable sign of condensation is streaming windows in the morning and condensation on walls. 

4. Move your Furniture

If furniture stays to close to cold surfaces for too long, it prevents air movement in and around that piece of furniture. This can cause condensation and more than likely mould. Refresh your rooms every so often by changing the arrangement of the furniture. Ensure that sofas and tables, for example, are positioned away from walls to allow air movement in and around the furniture stopping the formation of condensation and mould. 

5. Install a Home Ventilation System or Heat Recovery Unit

Here at Permagard, we stock a wide range of ventilation and condensation control products to help you stop condensation in your home. Vents such as the Nuaire Drimaster Eco PIV system provide whole house ventilation, introducing fresh, dry filtered air at an ambient temperature continuously into the property. This dilutes and displaces damp stale air reducing the cause of condensation and improving the air quality in the property. Take a look at our Positive Input Ventilation units.

6. Replace Your Insulation

When looking to control condensation in your home, it might be worth looking into your insulation. It can help reduce the amount of heat lost from a property and will keep internal temperatures high without the need for artificial heating. Insulation is improving all the time, so it might be worth investing in some new insulation.  

As you can see, there are many different ways to tackle condensation. How you stop condensation largely depends on your home, budget and the time you have available. It's important to take some measures as left untouched, you will find an increase in damp related issues around the home, mould growing and general decay of décor. Condensation and mould can increase the risk of asthma and respiratory illnesses.  

Condensation Treatment

As well as following all of the above tips, you can buy a number of products and devices that help reduce condensation and remove mould. Browse our Ventilation and Condensation Control and damp proof sections of our site for more details on how to tackle condensation. 

If you would like more information on stopping condensation and tackling damp issues please contact us at Permagard today.  

Further Reading 

How to remove mould from your walls