As we approach the colder months, condensation can form on cold surfaces and mould can appear. It’s important to treat this where you can, or report it to us as soon as possible.
How we tackle damp and mould
If you live in one of our rented homes, when a report of damp and mould is made, we’ll respond quickly by carrying out a mould treatment and a ventilation assessment. In all cases we will ensure that we understand the root cause of the problem and use our in-house and external specialists to quickly complete any remedial works. This may involve us working with a specialist contractor called EnviroVent to assess the extent of the problem, understand the cause, and follow any recommendations to resolve the issue. This could include mould treatment, installing new extract fans in kitchens or bathrooms or installing new whole house ventilation systems to reduce moisture.
If you own your home, you can reach out to us if you’d like more advice on how to keep your home well ventilated to come up with the best plan of action for your property.
What are the early signs of damp and mould?
Here are a few early indicators you may spot before mould growth starts to appear in your home:
• Condensation on windows and walls
• Damp areas and mould can appear on walls, especially behind furniture and in corners
• Wallpaper can start to peel
• Black mould on window frames
• Soft furnishings and fabrics become prone to mould and mildew
Tips to reduce damp in your home
We work with our specialist contractor Envirovent to tackle recurrent damp and mould or damage from any build-up of condensation. Envirovent also works with us to install and upgrade Positive Input Ventilation units at our homes.
Envirovent has shared some tips to prevent damp and mould from appearing where you live:
• Where possible, try to dry your clothes outdoors to prevent excess moisture from building up in your property. If you’re not able to dry your clothes outdoors, try to keep them in a bathroom with the door closed, extract fan on and/or windows open until the clothes are fully dry.
• Bathrooms and kitchens are the worst culprits for condensation. When cooking food, boiling the kettle, or taking a shower, make sure your kitchen or bathroom door is kept closed to prevent the moisture in the air from going into colder rooms which will cause condensation to form if it touches a cold surface. If you have an extractor fan in your kitchen, make sure it’s turned on when cooking.
• Similar to when cooking in the kitchen, when you’re taking a shower or having a bath make sure that you turn on your extractor fan to remove the steam and moisture that is created when running warm water in a cold environment. This will help reduce condensation appearing on your bathroom windows and walls.
• If you don’t have an extractor fan in your bathroom or kitchen, wipe down any cold surfaces when you have been cooking or taking a shower to remove any moisture that may have settled on the surface. This excess moisture in the air sits on the surface and will quickly turn to mould if left untreated.
How to clean mould in your home
If you have mould on your walls and ceilings, it may be possible to remove it by scrubbing it with a mould-specific cleaning product from your local supermarket. It’s a good idea to take a photograph of the mould before you clean it, so that if we need to send a surveyor to your home, they’ll be able to see the extent of the mould before you attempted to clean it off.
To report damp or mould to us
• You can call us on 0300 123 1567
• You can email us via hello@abri.co.uk
• Report it on My Abri