Managing moisture in your home

A build-up of moisture in your home can lead to a variety of problems, and we always want to tackle the cause as early as possible.

It’s important to understand the type of moisture affecting your home, so we can treat it most effectively.

On this page you can find information about possible causes of moisture and what you can do about them.

Types of moisture in your home

Moisture can get into your home in a number of ways:

• Rain can get in through leaking roofs, blocked or damaged guttering, walls, doors and windows.
• Leaks from plumbing faults, failed appliances and poorly sealed baths and showers can quickly build up, often where you can’t see them.
• Ground water can rise up through the walls and floor if the damp proof course isn’t working properly.
• We can also add moisture to the air just by breathing, as well as from cooking, drying clothes, and from our pets and house plants.

If you can see signs of rain water getting into your home, of internal leaks, rising damp or if you have any other concerns, please report this to us as soon as possible and we will come and fix it.

Reporting a repair is easy

• Use the My Account portal. It’s quick and easy to use, and you can use it 24/7, 365 days a year. Login at myaccount.fcho.co.uk.
• Call our Contact Centre on 0161 393 7117.

Moisture in the air

If you don’t have any leaks or rising damp, moisture in your home will most likely be caused by condensation.

This forms when moisture in the air settles as water droplets on a colder surface like a window or wall, or in parts of the home with little space for air to circulate, for example behind furniture.

Condensation in your home may be caused by:

• High amounts of moisture often from everyday activities such as showering, cooking and drying clothes indoors.
• Not enough ventilation, to help air circulate.
• Cool temperatures (below 18°C).

We all get condensation in places like our windows sometimes and this isn’t a problem if it clears up quickly. It can be wiped away with a towel and opening a window in the room for around 15 minutes afterwards is helpful for ventilation.

Problems begin when water is left on a surface for long enough to start causing damage or mould to grow.

This video helps explain more about moisture in your home.

Dealing with condensation and black mould

If you are experiencing condensation or mould, please contact us in the first instance so we can check if there are any problems with your home that we can help with.

There may also be some simple measures that you can take. Mould caused by condensation can be removed by wiping down the affected area with a fungicidal spray. The spray is available in most DIY shops.

However the cause of the condensation needs to be fixed to stop the mould from coming back.

Tips to reduce condensation in your home

• On dry days open windows to allow humid air to ventilate out of your home. It is better to open a few windows a little throughout the whole house to help air to move through your home, rather than opening one window wide. Try to do this as often as possible (2-3 times a week), but keep windows closed on wet days as damp air may increase humidity in your home.
• Put lids on your pots and pans when you cook. This will also help with reducing energy costs as your food will cook faster.
• Keep the doors to the bathroom and kitchen closed when you are bathing or cooking, and afterwards too. Also open the window to allow steam and moisture to escape outside.
• Use thermal or lined curtains, keeping them open in the day and closed before dusk. This will capture the free heat from the sun and help to lift the temperature in your home.
• On cold days try to keep the temperature in your home to at least 18°C.
• Use a towel to wipe up condensation you find on windows, and then open the window for around 15 minutes afterwards. If you don’t, the moisture will collect on the frame which may start to cause damage. The moisture may also evaporate again during the day, raising humidity levels, which makes condensation worse when the room cools down.
• Limit the number of pot plants in your house. If you start to notice mould or condensation near your house plants, think about moving them to a better ventilated spot or outdoors.
• Let air get to the walls. External walls are cooler than internal walls - keep furniture away from external walls to allow air to circulate.
• Don’t use a portable gas heater. These create high levels of humidity and are expensive to run. They also release harmful gases into the air.
• Heat as many rooms in your home as possible. This will increase the whole house temperature of your home and make condensation less likely.
• Wherever possible, dry your clothes outdoors.
• If you do have to dry clothes indoors, use a clothes maiden, and keep the room ventilated when using it. Drying clothes on radiators releases a lot of moisture into the air quickly, creating a high risk of condensation.

Heating your home is important to reduce condensation in your home. We’re here for you if you need a hand managing energy costs.

In the colder months, especially when energy prices are high, it may not always be easy to open your windows and let out valuable heat from your home.

We also understand that you may not be able to use your heating for as long or a frequently as you would like.

We’re here to support you and give advice if you are finding it hard to manage energy costs or facing other financial worries.

Get in touch and see how we can help you.

0161 393 7117

communityservices@fcho.co.uk

Helping you manage condensation in your home

If you follow the above advice and are still concerned about signs of condensation and mould in your home, please get in touch with us and we can work out the best way to deal with it. Call 0161 393 7117 or email websiteenquiries@fcho.co.uk.

Our team can look at a range of solutions, including how you can monitor moisture and temperature levels in your home and from there we can make a plan about how to tackle the issue.

Visit our Using your hygrometer to help manage condensation webpage for more information.