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Concerned about condensation or mould in your London property?
Are your windows dripping with water droplets and your walls damp and mouldy? Then you have condensation in your home, and you need to act quickly before it causes damage to your home or even your health.
At Environ, as condensation experts we’ve driven condensation damp out of thousands of London homes, and – most importantly – we’ve kept it out. We don’t just treat the symptoms; we investigate and eradicate the causes so that you don’t have to keep fighting a losing battle against condensation problems.
What are the risks of condensation?
Moist air sitting on your walls, windows, or window sills creates the perfect environment for rot and mould growth to spread. If left untreated, your plaster, wallpaper, windowsills, or window and door frames could become so damaged that they need to be stripped out and replaced.
Even worse are the implications for your health. The NHS warns about the impact of damp and mould on your health, which increases your risk of “respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma.” due to poor indoor air quality.
What Causes Condensation?
Condensation problems can happen when warm air meets a cold surface, which cools the moisture vapour, causing it to solidify into water droplets. This is especially true when warm air cools quickly on surfaces, leading to condensation damp.
The problem is most of this excess moisture is caused by day-to-day life. Cooking, boiling the kettle, having a shower, drying clothes, and even just breathing releases moisture into the air, creating humid air in your home. No one will cut out these necessities, so the only real solution is to increase ventilation, reduce the amount of moisture, or warm cool surfaces. condensation solutions.
Because more people are sharing homes in London and people are too security-minded to leave their windows open, condensation is an increasing problem, putting more and more people and properties in danger.
Because more people are sharing homes in London and people are too security-minded to leave their windows open, condensation is an increasing problem, putting more and more people and properties in danger.
It’s important to bear in mind that condensation is sometimes caused by more serious damp problems such as penetrating, lateral or rising damp. Always have a professional damp survey carried out by a reputable firm so that they can rule out any structural issues that could be allowing moisture to get into your home.
How can you treat the different causes of condensation?
The best course of action for condensation removal depends on the cause, which could be any combination of the following:
Poor Ventilation
The solution may be as simple as opening more windows in the building, but if that still doesn’t create enough airflow or isn’t feasible for security reasons, then you’ll want to have simple air vents installed or more advanced PIV units, which promote airflow and temperature to further reduce condensation.
Too Much Moisture
This likely means you have another damp problem, such as rising damp, lateral damp or penetrating damp. Read our damp causes guides to learn more, as treatments can range from quick and easy jobs, such as fixing a leaky gutter to time consuming and invasive procedures, like replacing plumbing or installing a damp proof course.
Cold Surfaces
There are many reasons that a wall or window may be too cold, such as structural defects like cold bridges or cracks or a lack of insulation in walls or single-glazed glass. If the cause isn’t obvious, heat maps can narrow down the location of the cold, helping us to find the most efficient and cost-effective solution.
How to Eradicate Mould?
A professional full mould removal and chemical cleaning would be advised to eliminate the existing mould in the property, followed by installing the Vent Axia PIV unit, which runs efficiently to circulate clean, dry air around the property and prevent mould/ condensation build up.
The aim of the PIV unit is to install a permanent and cost-effective solution to mould/condensation issues to ensure that you will not have to continue paying for temporary fixes and rather solve the problem at the source.
Please note that mould cleaning will not guarantee that the mould will stay away permanently. The mould clean should be regarded as a great temporary solution to mould/condensation build-up, but if you are looking for a permanent solution, we always strongly recommend installing a PIV (along with the mould clean) to ensure your property remains mould and condensation free.