Preventing damp and mould in your home

Mould can grow naturally in humid, cold or poorly ventilated spaces, but there are simple things you can do to help prevent it.

Good ventilation helps remove moisture. You can assist this by:

Opening windows
Open windows without good air flow in your home, as excess moisture may appear on your walls, windows and floors.
Open windows for short periods of time to ventilate.
Using trickle vents
If your windows have trickle vents, make sure you leave them open during the day. This allows moisture to escape.
Maintaining air vents
Make sure air vents are not blocked and kept clean, as they allow for natural airflow and moisture to escape.
Using bathroom extractor fans
Use during and after you are bathing or taking a shower.
Extractor fans are very cost effective to run.
Using kitchen extractor fans
Use when cooking in the kitchen.
Keep extractor fan/heat ventilation isolator switches turned on as extra moisture will contribute to mould growth.
De-cluttering your home
Try to get rid of unnecessary items to clear the space along the walls. If it is not possible to clear, then store items on a shelf.
Good air flow is important to circulate the heat and helps push moisture out. This will help prevent “dead patches” where mould can form.
Reducing moisture
To speed up ventilation, wipe down your windows and surfaces with a clean cloth to remove excess moisture.
Cleaning away mould
Mould is much easier to control if you can spot it early.
If you spot some mould or mildew, clean it straight away to prevent it from spreading.
You can use general household products. Do not use bleach products.

Containing moisture helps reduce damp and mould growth. You can assist this by:

Shutting doors
When using the bathroom or kitchen, prevent moisture from spreading to the rest of the rooms in the house.
Using lids
Use lids on pots when cooking as this helps reduce steam moisture in the air.
Drying clothes outside or using a clothes horse
If drying clothes inside, use a clothes horse either in a room with the door closed, a window open and heating on, or in the bathroom with an extractor fan on and door closed.
Avoiding portable heaters
Avoid using paraffin and portable bottled gas heaters as these heaters produce a lot of moisture.

Cold walls make it easier for moisture to collect. You can help prevent this by:

Heating your home accordingly
Keep each room heated to above 16°C, as cold rooms attract moisture and allow mould to grow.
Keeping a constant temperature
Avoid extreme changes in temperature. For example, turning heat up to maximum and then turning heat off completely.
Keep the thermostat at a constant 16° – 21°C.
Keeping radiators clear
Do not obstruct radiators or other heat emitters, like storage heaters, to allow heat to reach the entire room.