Renfrewshire Council

There are things you can do in your home to prevent condensation or damp, or to remove mould where it appears.

If this doesn't help, you can report the issue to us.

What condensation is

Condensation occurs when moist air meets a cold surface and creates water droplets. For example, when a bathroom mirror steams up after a shower.

If untreated, condensation  can lead to stains and mould. It can damage wallpaper, walls, ceilings, window frames, furniture, and clothing. 

You may not realise condensation is a problem until black mould patches start to appear on walls and ceilings, or sometimes on furniture and clothes. It can also cause timber on windowsills to rot.

Where condensation can occur

Condensation can happen in rooms where a large amount of moisture is produced or when moist air moves to colder areas in your home. For example, if the main living room is heated but the bedrooms are unheated. 

This can occur:

• in kitchens and bathrooms
• behind wardrobes, beds, cupboards, or furniture placed against an outside wall
• inside wardrobes 
• on mirrors, single glazed windows, and metal window frames
• in corners of unheated rooms and cold parts of outside walls.

How to prevent condensation

Bathing, washing, and cooking all produce moisture that cannot be avoided. The first step in reducing condensation is to produce less moisture in your home.

You can reduce or stop condensation from forming in your home by following these steps.

Cooking and heating in your kitchen

Keep lids on pots when cooking. Turn the heat down once the water has boiled. Only use the smallest amount of water needed in the pot.

Keep the doors closed, open the window slightly or switch on the extractor fan for about 20 minutes after cooking.

Do not use your gas cooker to heat up your kitchen. This is dangerous and burning gas produces moisture.

Showering and bathing

Close doors when washing in the bathroom and open windows afterwards.

If you're filling the bath, run the cold water first and then the hot to reduce steam, which leads to condensation, by up to 90%.

Open the window slightly or switch on the extractor fan for about 20 minutes after use.

Laundry and clothes drying

When drying washing, dry outside where possible. Route your tumble dryer vent to outside your home if possible. 

If you are drying clothes inside, open windows for ventilation.

Avoid putting wet clothes on radiators.

Ventilation and opening windows

Ventilation allows moist air to escape and increases the volume of air moving through the home. Many houses have built in ventilation measures such as extractor fans or trickle vents, small openings in windows that let fresh air in from outside.

You can increase ventilation and improve airflow in your home if you:

• open windows twice a day for at least 15 minutes to let air in and moisture out, or make sure trickle vents are open 
• allow air to circulate in bedrooms  at night
• open windows and keep doors closed when there's steam in your kitchen or bathroom, and use your extractor fan if you have one
• wipe away condensation when it appears on windows.

If the extractor fan in your kitchen or bathroom is not working, contact us through the Report a repair online form or phone us on 0300 300 0300 and we will arrange to have it repaired or replaced.

Heating and temperature control

Keep your home warm and well ventilated. You are more likely to have condensation if your home is not kept warm. 

Avoid heating one room and leaving the other rooms cold, if possible. Try to keep temperatures in all rooms above 15^oC as this will reduce condensation on outside walls.

Make sure your furniture isn't blocking radiators so the warm air can circulate.

Avoid using gas or paraffin heaters as these produce high levels of moisture.

If you need help with your energy bills, contact our Energy Advice Team.

Insulation

Insulating your home  and preventing heat escaping can help tackle the problem of damp or mould through:

• warming the surface temperature of walls, ceilings, and windows
• increasing the overall temperature of the home
• reducing heating costs - meaning it's more affordable to heat your home to a higher standard.

We can arrange a visit from a Repairs and Maintenance Officer if you want to find out about insulating your home. 

Contact us through the Report a repair online form or phone us on 0300 300 0300.

Cold surfaces

Reduce the number of cold surfaces in your home by avoiding:

• putting furniture against outside walls that are always colder
• overfilling  wardrobes and cupboards as it restricts air flow within the furniture and between the furniture and walls.

If you do this, make sure there is a gap between the furniture and the wall, and the furniture is not filled up.

How to prevent and remove mould

The best way of tackling mould is to reduce the condensation levels and prevent it from growing in the first place. 

However, there are some steps you can take to remove it.

To remove mould and prevent it from returning, wipe down or spray walls and surfaces with a fungicidal wash and follow the instructions for use carefully. You can often buy these products at supermarkets and DIY shops.

After treatment, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint or wallpaper paste to prevent mould coming back.

However, fungicidal, or anti-condensation paint will not work if it is covered with ordinary paint or wallpaper.

Dry-clean mouldy clothes. Shampoo any affected carpets as mould cannot be removed by using a brush or vacuum cleaner.

Report an issue with mould and damp

If you've done all this and you can still see signs of damp o mould, tell us about this as soon as possible. We work with specialists who can install sensors to monitor the conditions and identify the cause before eradicating the problem.

Contact us through the Report a repair online form or phone us on 0300 300 0300.
 
We'll arrange for a repair and maintenance officer to visit your home and assess the issue.