Damp and mould

Condensation is caused when moist air comes into contact with a colder surface in your home.  As a result of this, water droplets form and can soak into wallpaper, paintwork or even plasterwork.

There is always a certain amount of moisture in the air, even if you cannot see it.  This is usually created when carrying out everyday activities in the home, including:

• cooking,
• having a bath or shower, and
• drying clean clothes.

Condensation mainly happens during the colder months, whether it is wet or dry outside.  It is usually found in the corners of rooms, north facing walls and on or near windows. It is also found in areas where the air can’t circulate as much, such as behind furniture including wardrobes and beds, especially when they are pushed up against external walls.

Condensation can often lead to mould growth that appears as little black dots called ‘black spot mould’.  When this appears, it is usually caused by condensation, rather than as a result of a leak or rising damp.

Do you know how much moisture is typically produced in the home in one day?

• 2 people at home (16 hours) : 3 pints
• A bath or shower : 2 pints
• Drying clothes indoors : 9 pints
• Cooking and use of a kettle : 6 pints
• Washing dishes : 2 pints

Preventing condensation

It is important to deal with condensation as soon as you notice it.  Where issues with condensation continue without any attempts to tackle the issue, these could lead to further problems and potentially cause the property to become damp.

With the correct balance of heating and ventilation, condensation can be avoided.  The heating helps to keep the property warm and the ventilation will help excess moisture to escape.

Council Initiatives to prevent condensation

The Council as a landlord have already carried out several initiatives to combat and prevent condensation including installation of:

• Trickle vents in all windows.
• Drimaster ventilation systems.
• A-rated boilers.
• Kitchen and bathroom ventilation.
• External washing lines and clothes drying areas for flats.
• Mechanical extractors.
• External vents for tumble dryers.
• Loft insulation.

All of these initiatives are ways of helping you to ventilate your home more efficiently, whilst keeping your household costs at a minimum.

As a contract-holder you are able to take control of condensation within your home and make certain changes, which can help to prevent condensation.  Cardiff Council also have certain responsibilities to assist you in dealing with condensation issues.

We know that seeing black spot mould in your home can be distressing and want to work with you to manage and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

You can remove black spot mould and reduce the risk of it coming back, particularly on plastered, painted walls and windows by:

• Wiping down or spraying walls and window frames with an anti-fungal treatment, which can be purchased in most supermarkets and DIY stores.
• You can also use diluted bleach to wipe down surfaces.

Do not follow this if you have wallpaper or lining paper on your walls.

After treatment, if you choose to redecorate it would be advisable to use an anti-mould condensation paint.

How you can prevent condensation

Once you have treated the affected areas, you can also try the following to reduce moisture and mould within your home:

Damp

There are different types of damp that can affect homes.

Penetrating damp

This type of damp will only be found on external walls or in the case of leaking roofs, guttering or downpipes, on ceilings. It appears due to a defect outside the home, such as missing pointing to the brickwork, cracked rendering or missing roof tiles. These defects then allow water to pass from the outside to the inner surfaces. Penetrating damp normally appears as a well-defined ‘damp patch’ which looks and feels damp to the touch.

Rising damp

This is caused by water rising from the ground into your home. Rising damp will only affect basements and ground floor rooms. It will normally rise no more than 600mm above the ground level and usually leaves a ‘tide mark’ low down on the wall. You may also see white salts on the affected areas.

Defective plumbing

Leaks from water and waste pipes, especially in bathrooms and kitchens, are relatively common. They can affect both external and internal walls and ceilings. The affected area looks and feels damp to the touch and remains damp whatever the weather conditions outside.

What the Council will do, if you suspect you have condensation in your home?

Cardiff Council are responsible for maintaining the structure of your home and ensuring that fittings for water, sanitation, gas and electricity are safe and in working order.  We categorise all repairs so that we can prioritise the work that needs doing in all homes where we are the landlord.

Any reports of condensation or damp will be inspected by a Technical Manager from the Responsive Repairs Unit, who will give advice and arrange for any necessary works.

We will provide you with advice at the first point of contact on how to deal with and control condensation in your home.

The Technical Manager will identify if extractor fans need to be fitted in your home.