Condensation and mould issues in flat

Cardew

ajp166 wrote: »

I have one for the back bedroom. It's fills a full 5 litres within a day. It's crazy

For how long has the dehumidifier been extracting 5 litres a day?


I moved into a property(abroad) that had a similar problem, but after a few weeks the amount extracted got less and less - presumably because the moisture content in the fabric of the building and furniture was initially high.


However if it remains constant at 5 litres, then as said above, you need to sort out where the water is coming from. A leak from upstairs perhaps??

Robwiz

In your situation I would buy a window vac and use it on the windows plus tiled surfaces in the bathroom. Moisture condenses on cold surfaces so if you remove the condensate it will allow more to form and so reducing the relative humidity of the air in the room.

The danger point for mould forming is around 70% relative humidity so it's worth buying a few digital temperature/humidity meters to give yourself a way of pre-empting the problem.

Ventilation is good for getting the RH down quickly so having all the windows open for 10 minutes to air your flat every day will make a difference. As will running extractor fans when you're cooking, washing and bathing. (But if you invest in the meters you'll be able to see the difference yourself).

As others have said, if your dehumidifier is collecting a lot of condensate that points to another source of humidity – either a plumbing leak or water ingress through the walls, perhaps due to a damaged gutter or leak to the roof.

Pincher

Have a look in your House Buyer's report and EPC.
Look for any mention of damp.


Damp proofing course may be breached.

savemoney

If its extracting 5 litres a day and that's just one room something doesn't sound right as others said if that's everyday. Dehumidifiers do extract a fair bit for a few days normally until humidity settles down. My dehumidifier extracts probably around 1/2 litre per day now if that its noticeable hardly ever one and dont get much water on windows and its usually only upstairs

Have a look at this video I saw in post in DIY forum on MSE just now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj99RNY55Es

ajp166

I woke up today and went to the front living room.. I dried all the window areas last night but today there were literally puddles near the windows and on window sills. I dried them all and the water filled a cereal bowl up. I will check the guttering to the front of the property today as it could be coming through the brick work...

ajp166

Guys I have just checked.. I have single glazing and the top windows don't open as they were built like that and are very old. The water is built up at the top of where these windows start and is then coming down the glass... Could this be the issue? If they silicon/frame is not holding them properly. Should I try and buy some gel or something to seal them incase that's the prob?

pandora205

Extractor fans don't last forever - could you spotlight fan need replacing? I had this problem and have just had a new one installed, which has made a huge difference to my bathroom (where black mould had started to grow). We do leave the window open for 5 mins after a shower as well, and this seems to do the trick.

Robwiz

ajp166 wrote: »

Guys I have just checked.. I have single glazing and the top windows don't open as they were built like that and are very old. The water is built up at the top of where these windows start and is then coming down the glass... Could this be the issue? If they silicon/frame is not holding them properly. Should I try and buy some gel or something to seal them incase that's the prob?

Single glazing loses a lot of heat but it's always going to be the coldest part of any room, so it should act as a condensation magnet. The fact that you have lots of water condensing tells you that there's a lot of moisture in the air.

Therefore your solution will be reducing the volume of moisture introduced (cooking, washing and bathing) and increasing ventilation.

For heating/comfort, you may want to look at some of the DIY secondary glazing kits – you can buy a sheet of clear plastic film with fixings to stretch over the windows. You then heat it with a hair drier to shrink to sheet so that it's tight. However, with the level of humidity you have in your flat it will only shift the condensation and mould to the next coolest surface.

Some people in cold parts of the US cut bubble wrap to fit over the glass panes in their windows, trading transparency for warmth.

Cardew

ajp166 wrote: »

Guys I have just checked.. I have single glazing and the top windows don't open as they were built like that and are very old. The water is built up at the top of where these windows start and is then coming down the glass... Could this be the issue?

No! The 'issue' is that there is too much moisture in your house.


As the windows are single glazed they will be the coldest place in the house and that is where the condensation will manifest itself.


You still need to trace the source of the moisture and take steps to dry out the house.

MaccGaz

I've just bought a new house and had all my windows covered in condensation. There's now mould growing around most windows - but this is also because I haven't been cleaning away the dust.

I have helped it a huge amount primarily by getting rid of the steam from the bathroom. Previously, I would open the window and then open another window to allow a tunnel of air to extract it. All that did was let it around the entire house!

I now close the door to the bathroom and leave the window open during/after a shower. This has made a huge improvement, but I am going to also buy a quality extractor fan - they're still only £40 or so.

The other things that I've found affect it is:

1) Drying clothes indoors
2) Leaving water from washing the dishes in the bowl after I've finished.
3) Not airing out the house - this is made a lot easier with the modern windows that can be locked slightly open.

For you, I would try to resolve the bathroom fan as soon as possible. You don't want to get ill from the mould so it should be a priority. Get a working extractor fan and make sure the window opens.

Spend some time getting rid of the mould too. You should always wear a mask and have the windows open whilst you're doing it. They say you should clean it first with washing up liquid and then either use bleach or white vinegar to kill it. Don't re-use your cleaning stuff - buy some especially and then get rid of it later. Wash your clothes too!

Finally, although it may be annoying... use that dehumidifier - even if you put it on a timer to run when you're not in the flat/room.