Managing condensation

Put up thick curtains at doors and windows and lay a carpet with a good underlay. Also use draught excluders – making sure that there’s good ventilation elsewhere.

If you have your heating on a timer, heat can be off for a long time during the day and night. This means that temperatures drop and condensation forms. To reduce the chance of condensation, leave your heating on a lower level.

Try to avoid using paraffin or portable bottle-gas heaters as these put a lot of moisture into the air.

When you can, you should try to dry clothes outdoors if the weather is nice. If you have a tumble dryer, make sure you vent to the outside – unless it is a self-condensing type.
If you need to dry clothes in a room with no window, make sure your extractor fan is on, and that it is clean and the fan works.

Open your windows, when you can, to ventilate rooms. This will let the air flow through your home.

If you can, open a window while you’re cooking to let steam escape.

Close the door while you’re in the bath or shower so the steam doesn’t get into other, colder rooms.

If you have a fan fitted, turn this on to get rid of any moisture. You could also open a window once you’ve finished using the bathroom.

If you see condensation on any surfaces or windows, wipe them down and wring out the cloth (if you’re using one) rather than drying it on a radiator.

To help control condensation, you could install condensation channels or sponge strips – available to buy at DIY stores.

Wipe away black spots of mould with a wash that has a Health and Safety Executive approval number, making sure that you follow the instructions.

Dry-clean mildewed clothes and shampoo carpets, as brushing or vacuuming can increase the risk of breathing problems.