Damp properties cause misery for thousands of households across the UK. Figures from the English Housing Survey show 4% of the estimated 23 million households in England had rising damp or other damp problems in at least one room of their home*.

The UK’s cold and wet climate contributes to the problem, but building fabric also plays a part. And although the age of much of the housing stock can contribute to damp issues, new homes can suffer from damp too.

Cutting The Risk of Condensation Build Up

There are some simple ways of cutting the risk of condensation build up. We all create moisture in our homes through cooking, boiling kettles, showers, and even breathing. On average, a family of four will create more than 100 pints of moisture each week – and if there’s nowhere for it to escape, it’s going to build up on surfaces.

  1. Reduce the moisture you create: try keeping lids on pans and avoid drying clothes indoors.
  2. Increase ventilation: always use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, avoid blocking wall vents, and keep window vents open if you have them.
  3. Try to maintain a constant temperature: rooms where the heating is turned off over the winter months are prone to damp problems. In this case, you may need to ventilate more, or turn the heating on from time to time.

Of course, leaving heating on all the time just to avoid damp is not a sensible solution, it’d use a lot of energy and cost a lot of money to boot. But in general, a home not being heated properly can contribute to damp issues, so having an energy efficient boiler and appropriate heating controls is an excellent starting point to keep your home dry and comfortable.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/english-housing-survey

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Last Updated on May 30, 2020 Pay for your plumbing and boilers with a credit card