With most of the year being either cold winter or heavy rains, many homes in the UK face the problem of damp quite frequently. Damp and condensation can cause severe damage to much more than your building’s appearance. Moreover, it can also trigger health problems in individuals. Hence, it is essential to protect your homes from damp and condensation. It is often quite simple to identify damp in your walls. If you find damp in your home, you need to find its cause first. The main causes of damp are leaking pipes and roofs, blocked gutters, and limited ventilation. Steamed up windows, steam from cooking, and dry washing indoors can also cause condensation which leads to damp. Identifying the cause of damp can help you treat it properly. However, as the popular adage goes, prevention is better than cure. Here are a few tips to prevent damp from damaging your homes.
Proper Ventilation
Ventilation is essential to keep your home free from damp. Make sure that your home is well-ventilated with enough windows and doors. Ventilating it can be as easy as opening up all the doors and windows to let the air flow freely. Avoid completely filling up your cupboards and wardrobes to allow air circulation. Keep some gap between your furniture and the walls. Also if possible, use humidity-controlled devices. Airing out your home regularly can go a long way in preventing damp.
Damp Proofing Your Home
A very effective way of preventing damp and condensation is to damp proof your homes from the beginning. Inserting damp proof courses in the building’s foundation is a good way of stopping damp. It is also possible to damp proof an already built home by treating the walls. Waterproofing the walls by inserting chemical solution through holes at the bottom can create a waterproof barrier that prevents damp. Alternatively, painting the walls with water-resistant and weather-proof chemicals and paints is also helpful. You can easily get the required chemicals and materials from trusted suppliers like Sovereign Chemicals. For building supplies and industrial chemicals visit their website.
Reducing Condensation
Condensation in the home can lead to damp. You can reduce the condensation in your home with some simple tasks and methods. Wiping steam from the windows and window sills, covering pans and closing kitchen door when cooking can help stop condensation. Using an extractor fan in kitchen is also essential. Closing doors when bathing or showering and ensuring that your washing machines and dryers are externally vented can solve a lot of condensation problems.
Insulating Your Home
Adequate heating and insulation can reduce moisture from forming in your home. Heat every room of your home and insulate your home properly. Even when you are away from home, keeping the homes insulated is important. Heating up cold bedrooms in the evening by opening heated rooms can be harmful. The warm and humid air condenses on the cold walls of the room and causes condensation. If you do this in your homes, you should stop this practice immediately. When you insulate the rooms properly, it creates warmer walls and ceilings. This prevents condensation from forming thereby preventing mould growth and damp.