Mould and Condensation Guide
How to treat mould in your home
Mould in the home arises from dampness, predominantly caused by CONDENSATION. Condensation occurs where warm moist air is generated in living areas and then condenses out on any cold surfaces in the house.
Anywhere condensation can form, mould will follow. Small black specks slowly develop on walls and ceilings, behind furniture, in bathrooms and kitchens. Not only does it look bad there is debate about the effects on health. ACS products will kill and prevent the mould re-growth.
For long lasting protection against mould growth on painted surfaces use the ACS Antimould Emulsion Paint. Remember that the effect of any fungicidal paint is destroyed if covered with ordinary paint or wallpaper
How to reduce condensation
- Help reduce condensation, which has built overnight by “cross ventilating” the house. Open a small window downstairs to the first notch and the same to a small window upstairs. They should be opposite sides to the house or diagonally opposite if you live in a flat. At the same time open the internal room doors – this will allow air to circulate throughout the house. This type of cross ventilation should be carried out for about 30 minutes every day if possible. But make sure those accessible windows will not cause a security problem and remember to close them before you go out
- Ventilate the kitchen when cooking or washing. A window slightly open is as good as one fully open in these situations. If you have one, use the cooker extractor hood or extractor fan
- If you use a tumble drier, make sure it is vented to the outside or that it is the new condensing type. Avoid drying clothes on radiator.
- When filling your bath, run the cold water first then add the hot. This will reduce the steam, which leads to condensation, very significantly (up to 90%)
- Keep kitchen and bathroom doors closed when you are using these rooms to prevent moisture escaping into the rest of the house
- Ventilate your bathroom and kitchen for about 10 to 20 minutes after use by opening a small top window. Use an extractor fan if fitted – they are cheap to run and very effective
- Avoid the use of bottled gas heaters; they produce over one litre of water vapour for every litre of fuel used
- Ventilate your bedroom by leaving a window slightly open at night or use trickle ventilators if fitted. But again remember the security
- Do not draught proof rooms with a condensation problem or where there is a heater or cooker that burns gas or solid fuel
- Do not draught proof bathroom or kitchen windows, as this will prevent some natural, helpful ventilation
- Do not block ventilators or airbricks for the same reason
- Always try and keep some background heating on in the house to maintain warmer surfaces and help control condensation (but keep a check on the meters to see how much it is costing you)
- If you don’t have heating in every room, keep the doors of unheated rooms open to allow some heat into them
Please remember the best way to overcome condensation and mould growth in the home is to get rid of the dampness and improve ventilation in the property. Under these circumstances you may have to consider the following:-
Ventilation – use of passive ventilators, mechanical extraction fans, heat recovery and positive induced ventilation systems.
Insulation – loft and wall insulation to give warmer surfaces.
Heating – improve or change the use of heating systems to have a medium to low level of heat throughout the house.
Redecoration – use our 2 part system. First clean effected areas with ACS Mould Wash Concentrate then re-decorate with our ACS Anti Mould Paint.
Browse our full range of anti mould paint here.
