During winter, most people will start to see condensation build up on their windows when they wake up in the morning. Understanding condensation is really important in order to prevent damp and mould from taking over your home, so we've put together a handy list of our most-asked questions:
Many of us often wake up to condensation on our windows in the morning, especially in the colder winter months. Overnight, the condensation will build up and can create small pools of water on your window sill and window panes.
The reason for this is because cold air can’t hold as much moisture as warmer air. Moisture settles on the coldest parts of the room, which is typically the windows. As the temperature drops overnight, the internal surface will become colder, which means the moisture will be drawn there - forming condensation.
Most of us (understandably) will turn the heating down or off overnight to save money on energy bills. This, combined with the fact that temperatures typically drop overnight, is the reason that you’ll likely notice condensation first thing in the morning.
Condensation can also be significantly worse in the bedroom as opposed to other areas of the house - but each person will expel an average of 40g of water vapour during the night too, which greatly adds to moisture levels in the air.
Condensation itself is not harmful to you, as it is just water. However, it can lead to problems that may affect you in the future if you’re not careful.
On non-porous surfaces such as tiles or windows, condensation will just remain visible and can be wiped away with a cloth. However, if it sits on porous surfaces such as wood and plaster, the moisture will be absorbed into the material, which can create a damp problem over time.
These damp patches create ideal environments for mould to grow and thrive, which can then lead to health problems. If toxic black mould is allowed to develop, it can affect the airways - causing breathing difficulties and worsening other health problems such as asthma.
If black mould appears in your home, it’s important to get rid of it as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading even further. We’d recommend hiring a professional to do this, as inhaling the spores can be dangerous.
The simple answer to this question is yes - if you notice condensation on your windows, tiles or window sills, then it’s advisable to wipe it off as soon as you notice it to prevent damp and mould patches.
If you have wooden window sills and frames, it’s definitely recommended, as the condensation could lead to permanent damage if left alone. To do this, we’d advise using an absorbent, reusable microfibre cloth to soak up the water and reduce smears in the process (as no one wants extra cleaning to do!).
If it’s a warmer, sunny day, and your house doesn’t have wooden window frames or sills, then it’s not always necessary to wipe off the condensation. The heat from the sun will likely encourage the wet patches to evaporate by themselves.
It's always best to open a window if it’s not too chilly to prevent the moisture being trapped inside your home. Many more modern houses now have small vents installed within the windows, which can help to expel moisture from the house without letting in too much of the cold air in the process. However, this will make your home colder and the small trickle vents only have a minor impact.
Whilst wiping the condensation will help in the short term, preventative measures are always the best way to combat excess moisture for good.
By keeping your home warm during winter, you can reduce condensation and damp. The best way to do this is by programming your thermostat - according to British Gas, the ideal home temperature is between 18 and 21°C. Typically, bedrooms should be on the cooler end at 18°C, with living areas slightly warmer at 20-21°C, depending on your personal preferences.
By ensuring an adequate amount of heating within your home, you can prevent internal surface temperatures dropping too significantly, which will reduce the chances of condensation forming. Bear in mind that if you have poor insulation or single-glazed windows, it’s worth considering upgrading these - as it will be a major contributor to the property’s heat loss.
Opening windows can significantly contribute to reducing moisture levels within the home and increasing ventilation, as it will allow fresh air to enter the property and humid, moisture laden air to escape.
Breathing is one of the main causes of condensation, so if you’re using a room frequently, it’s worth cracking open a window. However, in colder winter months, this can be tricky - as homeowners are understandably reluctant to open windows when they’re spending so much money on heating bills.
Always make sure to use extractor fans when in the kitchen or bathroom to allow moisture to escape this way, and consider opening windows when you’re having a bath or shower - with the warmer air being produced by the hot water, it shouldn’t make the room unbearably cold.
If you’re reluctant to open windows and let the heat out, then read on to learn more about an effective, alternative fix!
As we’ve said, the best way to combat condensation, damp and mould is by increasing the ventilation within your home to allow the moist, humid air to escape, and let fresh air from outside enter the property. But how can you have good ventilation without making your house cold?
A Mechanical Heat Ventilation Recovery (MVHR) unit is the perfect solution.
MVHR is a relatively simple system, allowing fresh air to circulate in and stale air to circulate out. This process not only maintains air quality but also promotes energy efficiency and sustainability too. It operates by recovering the heat from extracted air and using it to heat the fresh air that is circulated into your home.
The MVHR system extracts stale, moist air from the interior spaces of a building, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms, and replaces it with clean, fresh air from the outside through a duct network that runs through the entire building.
Find out more how these fantastic, innovative systems work in our blog.
Interested in investing in MVHR to improve your home and reduce energy bills? Get in touch with our expert team today for a free, no obligation consultation.
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for good, solid ventilation in buildings to help reduce the transmission of disease. As a result, many businesses and households have now invested in it to increase airflow and remove germs from the air.
As experts in ventilation, we’ll explain exactly what it is, how it reduces the spread of viruses, and why now is the perfect time to invest in MVHR.
Put simply, ventilation is the process of introducing fresh air into indoor spaces, while removing stale air. By letting in fresh air, this helps to remove air that may contain virus particles, such as Covid-19, colds and flu. Good ventilation has been scientifically linked to fewer sick days off from work or school, according to GOV.uk.
As the pandemic reminded us all, when someone with an illness speaks, coughs, sneezes or even breathes, they release small particles into the air that contain their virus. These particles can then be breathed in by others, or come into contact with their eyes, nose or mouth. Particles can also land on surfaces, and can be passed on by touch.
In poorly ventilated rooms, the amount of the virus within the air can very quickly build up, significantly increasing the risk of transmission - hence why we weren’t allowed to meet up indoors for so long during the pandemic.
By bringing fresh air in and removing the older air, this greatly reduces the chance of spreading infections. Ultimately, the more fresh air brought inside, the quicker any airborne viruses will be removed from the room.
In winter, home ventilation is often significantly reduced compared to the summer. Keeping windows and doors closed may lock in the warmth on cold days, but it also prevents good air circulation.
Winter also happens to be the season where we are most likely to catch airborne illnesses such as colds, flu or Covid-19, due to temperature fluctuation and spending more time indoors. This combination is why so many more people fall ill during the colder months.
By installing a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system (MVHR) within your home, this will help to reduce the spread of illness whilst keeping your home toasty and warm at the same time. Sounds good? We’ll explain more about how it works…
Our clever MVHR system will extract moist, stale air from your home and replace it with fresh air from the outside through a duct network. These ducts will bring in clean air from the outside, passing it via a heat exchanger, which uses the extracted stale air to heat the fresh air - meaning it’ll be nice and warm when it enters your home.
This diagram will give you a visual idea of how the system works:
The central unit of the system will automatically control and monitor air quality, and make any adjustments necessary to ensure a continuous stream of fresh, ventilated air throughout at all times. By extracting the stale air from indoors, your MVHR unit will also be removing all of the infected particles along with it - helping to prevent the spread of airborne illnesses.
Interested in finding out more about MVHR to stay well this winter? Get in touch with our team of experts today to find out more!
