How to stop condensation on internal walls?

Mojisola

shirlls wrote: »

I get condensation on my internal walls, my house has cavity wall insulation. I always leave the downstairs windows open overnight and while I'm at work, and the upstairs windows are open during the day.

I've got a six drawer unit fitted to an internal wall in the kitchen which I now think has condensation behind it, when I open a drawer there's a fusty smell and the plinth has warped. I had the new kitchen fitted about two and a half years ago and I have the kitchen windows open all the time.

What can I do to stop/get rid of the condensation?

A house shouldn't be this damp just from normal living.

I would get a hygrometer to check what the humidity levels are in the house. Then use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity levels under control.

Do everything you can to reduce the moisture in the house. Do you cook without a lid on the saucepan? Do you take very long showers?

shirlls

Mojisola wrote: »

A house shouldn't be this damp just from normal living.

I would get a hygrometer to check what the humidity levels are in the house. Then use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity levels under control.

Do everything you can to reduce the moisture in the house. Do you cook without a lid on the saucepan? Do you take very long showers?

I don't cook very often as I usually eat at my boyfriend's.

Never actually timed myself in the shower but I would guess about 15 mins, then I open the window and close the door to get rid of the steam.

Johnandabby

shirlls wrote: »

I guess that because I have cavity wall insulation, the internal walls are now colder than the external walls and I don't know what I can do about it.

When it's cold outside the internal walls will be warmer than the external walls due to the insulation. If you over ventilate by having the windows open a lot in winter (and not having the heating on) you will actually make the problem worse as the walls will get colder - then when warm moist air makes contact with the wall it will leave condensation.

Before spending money on expensive surveys or dehumidifiers, I would suggest closing most windows and only leaving a couple fractionally open - then run your heating system for a couple of days. By keeping all the windows open all the day you've completely circumvented any benefit that the cavity wall insulation will provide.

Is it cold inside your house?

shirlls

Johnandabby wrote: »

When it's cold outside the internal walls will be warmer than the external walls due to the insulation. If you over ventilate by having the windows open a lot in winter (and not having the heating on) you will actually make the problem worse as the walls will get colder - then when warm moist air makes contact with the wall it will leave condensation.

Before spending money on expensive surveys or dehumidifiers, I would suggest closing most windows and only leaving a couple fractionally open - then run your heating system for a couple of days. By keeping all the windows open all the day you've completely circumvented any benefit that the cavity wall insulation will provide.

Is it cold inside your house?

With the cavity wall insulation, I would have thought all the walls inside the house would be the same temperature, but I'm getting condensation on walls which back onto another room or join onto next door.

I'll try closing the windows and putting the heating on.

I just want to get rid of the fusty smell in the kitchen cabinet but I can't move it as I did with the bookcase.

Johnandabby

shirlls wrote: »

With the cavity wall insulation, I would have thought all the walls inside the house would be the same temperature, but I'm getting condensation on walls which back onto another room or join onto next door.

I'll try closing the windows and putting the heating on.

I just want to get rid of the fusty smell in the kitchen cabinet but I can't move it as I did with the bookcase.

That's what made me think of it - normally condensation issues are on external walls because they are colder. With condensation everywhere, it must be because all walls are cold. And it will only get worse as the outside temperature drops.

You're doing the right thing by opening windows to get rid of shower steam etc, but no-one tells you that you can do as much damage with too many windows open as you can with none.

Keep a couple of windows open slightly while you run the heating - you want to be able to lose some of the heated air to outside, as this will carry out some of the moisture with it. I have a small top window in the bathroom and another in the bedroom open 24/7 - anything more is excessive.

Your wall to next door is probably getting condensation as their house is warmer than yours. Again an indication to me that you need to run your heating more, and not have all of the windows open.

If this is the issue, then it should be quick to see a result within a few days - you're waiting to get the walls warm so that you don't get any more condensation forming. You may not be able to get rid of the musty smell if it's very damp, but running the heating more will help.

Dan-Dan

shirlls wrote: »

Never actually timed myself in the shower but I would guess about 15 mins

:eek::eek::eek:

bretts

I have almost the same problem and looking for an answer myself.
Even if i boil water in kettle for a cup of tea the windows get all steamy and after dinner the windows are dripping with water, I do not put my clothes inside for drying and leave windows open as well for some time if not a lot, every window is dripping with water and I think every morning once I am done cleaning water off the windows and leaving the windows open, it fills up with water again over night when I keep them closed. In the bath too I do exactly the same, leave window open for hours as soon as I am done with shower, but not just the window sometimes I see water drops on the ceiling too which I have to clean with tissue, I am also looking for a dehumidifier and I think I might gift it to myself on Christmas that really could be the only option. I did speak to a friend of mine who got a company to come and have a look at the problem as he too had similar problem, what they did was install a small vent fan in one or two of the rooms but there downside is the cost of heating the house has gone up coz he has to leave them on all the time even if they go out of the house for a few days, I Really dont know if that really was the way out but I am in same situation and dont know how to get out of it really.

Johnandabby

bretts wrote: »

I have almost the same problem and looking for an answer myself.
Even if i boil water in kettle for a cup of tea the windows get all steamy and after dinner the windows are dripping with water, I do not put my clothes inside for drying and leave windows open as well for some time if not a lot, every window is dripping with water and I think every morning once I am done cleaning water off the windows and leaving the windows open, it fills up with water again over night when I keep them closed. In the bath too I do exactly the same, leave window open for hours as soon as I am done with shower, but not just the window sometimes I see water drops on the ceiling too which I have to clean with tissue, I am also looking for a dehumidifier and I think I might gift it to myself on Christmas that really could be the only option. I did speak to a friend of mine who got a company to come and have a look at the problem as he too had similar problem, what they did was install a small vent fan in one or two of the rooms but there downside is the cost of heating the house has gone up coz he has to leave them on all the time even if they go out of the house for a few days, I Really dont know if that really was the way out but I am in same situation and dont know how to get out of it really.

Do you get condensation on the walls, or is it just the windows? Do you have trickle vents above the windows, or is opening them the only source of ventilation? Are the windows single glazed or double glazed, and how old?

You mention drops on the ceiling - is this only in the bathroom after a shower? Do you have an extract fan in the bathroom as well?

Dehumidifiers can end up drying the air too much which is bad for your health, so worth finding the cause rather than hiding the symptom - properly insulated, heated and insulated buildings shouldn't have a problem with condensation.

If you can provide more information, I'll tell you what I think.

diywhynot

A dehumidifier works for us. We've been using one of these on our upstairs landing over the last 4 winters and it does the business. Extractors in bathrooms, shower rooms and kitchens also help. Alternatively, a MVHR.

Johnandabby

diywhynot wrote: »

A dehumidifier works for us. We've been using one of these on our upstairs landing over the last 4 winters and it does the business. Extractors in bathrooms, shower rooms and kitchens also help. Alternatively, a MVHR.

Completely depends on what the issue is, and why condensation is occurring. Good for where it's excess moisture from bathrooms and cooking, but doesn't solve problems with poor insulation and cold surfaces.