Healthy Homes in Knowsley

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Healthy Homes in Knowsley

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We all want to live in healthy homes - free from damp and mould.

A damp home is a breeding ground for mould, which damages walls and furniture. It's also bad for your health and can cause respiratory issues (coughing, shortness of breath and increases the risk of airway infections), allergic reactions (sneezing, watery eyes, itching), and skin irritation (such as rashes, especially for people with skin conditions such as eczema).

Mould spores occur naturally in the air and they quickly multiply once they find a damp surface.

Nearly all damp in homes is caused by condensation. It's easily recognised by the black mould it causes -small black dots that appear near cold surfaces like window frames. When moist air reaches cool surfaces such as walls, ceilings, windows and pipes , it turns back into water (condenses) making those surfaces damp.

We produce a lot of moisture through our everyday activities at home, such as showering, cooking, drying laundry and even just breathing. Condensation occurs due to one or more of the following:-

• Inadequate ventilation and a build up of excessive moisture.
• Missing or incomplete insulation resulting in cold spots.
• Inadequate heating resulting in lower surface temperatures.

You can help to prevent condensation by:-

• Produce as little moist air as possible- for example, by drying clothes outside and keeping lids on pans.
• Make sure any moist air you create can leave your home through vents, extractor fans and open windows.

The majority of damp issues are caused by condensation and can be rectified by doing things differently in your home, such as:-

Heating

• Make sure that the heating is working well.
• During colder times of year, turn your heating on regularly. This doesn't mean all day, every day, but often enough to keep the home dry.

Ventilation

• Regularly open external doors and windows throughout the home.
• Open the kitchen and bathroom windows to allow the steam created by cooking, showering or having a bath to leave the building.
• Check your existing extractor fans are clean, working correctly and use them every time steam is being produced.
• Make sure that the vents and airbricks aren't blocked or covered up.
• If you notice mould behind sofas or other furniture, move them away from the walls to allow air to circulate around the back.
• If there are lots of people or pets in a small space, increase the ventilation - we produce a lot of moisture just by breathing!
• Use a humidity meter (also called a hygrometer) to find out which rooms need to be ventilated regularly.

Reducing moist air

• When cooking, keep lids on pans to trap the steam in the pot. This also reduces the cooking time.
• Keeping doors closed will stop the moisture from moving around the home, especially your bathroom and kitchen doors when you're showering or cooking.
• If you can, avoid drying laundry inside.
• If it's not possible to dry laundry outside, use the spin cycle on the washing machine twice to reduce the amount of water held in the fabric. Use a tumble dryer or hang the washing in a room with the internal door closed and a window open.
• Make sure clothes are completely dry before putting them in wardrobes and drawers.
• Do not use portable gas heaters indoors as they make the air very moist.
• In severe cases, use a dehumidifier.

Homeowners and landlords should:-

• Insulate the property. This can increase the inside temperature so the air can hold more moisture before it condenses and you'll be less likely to have damp and mould.
• Ensure there are extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Make sure there is a kitchen and bathroom door that can be shut to stop the moist air getting into the rest of the house.
• Ensure that the heating system is serviced regularly and necessary repairs are carried out.
• Where possible, provide outdoor space for drying clothes.

Treating mould

If you don't treat and clean mould that is already present in your home, it will grow and spread to other areas. You can do this by:-

• Treating the visible mould with a spray containing bleach. Allow it to dry and then repeat.
• To kill the invisible mould spores, treat an area at least 1m wider than the mould patch with a spray containing bleach.
• Repeat the treatment every time it reappears.
• Dispose of furnishings / wallpaper that are too badly affected for the treatment to be effective.

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