Understanding Mould & Damp – The tenants guide

Understanding Mould & Damp – The tenants guide

The key thing when renting a property is to treat it as if it’s your very own home. Neglecting your rental property will not only affect how homely the place feels but you also run the risk of not getting all of your deposit back, if repairs are needed.

One thing that tenants need to be aware of are mould and damp.As winter is just around the corner, it’s important to understand that mould and condensation can appear far more often.

So, if you’ve noticed condensation on your windows, damp on the walls or mould in the bathroom, take a look at our simple yet essential guide. Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms, we advise all tenants to take a look at the following information. After all, preventing the problem is often cheaper than repairing the damage.

Mould, damp and condensation don’t mean there is a problem with the property. Instead, there’s a problem with how you’re using the property.

What is condensation?

There’s moisture all around us – even if you can’t see it. However, when the temperature cools down, the air cannot hold all the moisture. As a result, this moisture appears as tiny water droplets, most obvious on windows. This is condensation. It’s also often found on tiles, mirrors, and ceilings.

Too much condensation can result in the growth of mould on furniture, window frames, walls, ceilings, and clothes. Damp conditions can also result in bacteria and dust mites growing.

If excessive damage has been made and expensive repairs are needed, you could find that money is taken from your deposit to pay for it.

How to treat condensation and mould

If you’ve noticed condensation, start by opening your curtains and wiping your windows and window frames every morning.

If you’ve noticed mould growth, it’s important to treat this first before treating the condensation. To remove and kill mould, wipe down the area and spray with diluted bleach. Be sure to follow all instructions on the bottle.

Important things to remember…

The main causes of condensation are:

• Too much moisture in the air

• Not enough ventilation

• The temperature

Everyday activities add extra moisture to the air inside your home – even breathing!

• While sleeping you could add up to ½ pint of water into the air

• A bath or shower = 2 pints

• Drying clothes indoors = 6 pints

• Cooking and use of a kettle = 3 pints

• Washing dishes = 1 pint

These stats highlight how important it is to decrease potential condensation by creating less moisture.

Top tips for reducing moisture

• Hang your washing outside to dry or use a tumble dryer

• Cook with pans lids on

• When running a bath, run the cold water first and then add hot water

• Ventilate your home. Open a window upstairs and downstairs on opposite sides of the house to create a fresh flow of air

• Open windows when cooking and washing

• Use an extractor fan if possible

• During the day, open curtains to allow air to the windows and frames

• To prevent mould on clothes, don’t overfill your cupboards as this can restrict air flow

• Keep gaps between large pieces of furniture and the walls

When the air is warm it holds more moisture than when it’s cooler, meaning it’s more likely to produce water droplets around your home. Heating one room high and leaving other rooms cold will only make condensation in the cooler rooms worse. It’s better to have a medium heat throughout the entire house.

Keeping the heating on low throughout the day is another way to combat condensation. It’s also more economical than having the heating on high for short blasts. If you don’t want to heat every room, keep the doors of unheated rooms open so the heat can flow through.

It’s important to be aware that mould, damp and condensation can have serious effects on your rental property and the construction. The best way to stop mould is to reduce how much condensation there is in your home by using the heating more and allowing air to flow through the property.

And remember, it’s your rental property, so it’s your responsibility.