How do I keep my home dry?

Many everyday tasks can produce large amounts of moisture in your home, which can encourage the growth of moulds. Here are some of our tips for reducing moisture and increasing ventilation in your home. If you think the damp is a result of a more deep-rooted problem in your home, read our guide to finding the source of the damp.

Kitchen and Bathroom:

If you have extractor fans, ensure you always use them while cooking or using the bath/shower.

Keep the kitchen and bathroom doors shut while cooking or washing to prevent moisture spreading to other rooms of the house.

Keep the window open while cooking or washing (or straight after using the bathroom if it’s too cold to leave it open while you’re in there!)

Put lids on pans while cooking and don’t leave them boiling for any longer than necessary.

General:

If possible dry your clothes outside – this helps prevent damp spreading and saves you money. If you can only dry them indoors, make sure you leave a window open in the room they’re drying in. Do not dry clothes on radiators – this leads to lots of condensation being produced and prevents heat from circulating effectively. If you have a tumble dryer, make sure it is ventilated to outside. Hang wet coats/shoes in an outside porch or garage area if possible.

Make sure air can always circulate around your house – leave several windows open during the day.

Try and put furniture against inside walls (walls between rooms) as outside walls are cooler which can cause condensation. Don’t put furniture right against the walls – instead leave a small gap, to allow air to circulate between the wall and furniture.

Never completely block a chimney up. Make sure to fit an air vent so the chimney is still ventilated.

Use thermostats and times to make sure your heating only comes on when needed and automatically turns off when the temperature is right.

Don’t over fill wardrobes or cupboards. Leave the door slightly ajar to encourage air circulation.

Wipe condensation off window panes and showers – you could even buy a handheld Kaercher vacuum (pictured) to help you with this.

Top tip! A study has shown that allowing sunlight into your home may help reduce microbial colonies associated with dust. So, it might be an idea to keep your curtains open as much as possible during the day! Read the paper here.