We’ve all seen condensation before on the side of an ice-cold drink, a foggy car windshield, or the bedroom window on a chilly morning. It’s easy to brush off as a minor daily nuisance you can simply wipe away. However, leaving excess moisture unchecked creates the perfect breeding ground for mould, which can quietly damage your home and pose serious risks to your family’s health.
In this article, we discuss the factors that lead to condensation and the importance of heating and ventilation in combating it and protecting your home.
Excessive condensation on windows and walls
We all create moisture in our homes every single day, from everyday activities like showering, cooking, and doing the laundry, even breathing contributes to the amount of moisture in your home! Without adequate ventilation to remove excess moisture from the air, issues can escalate, leading to condensation that can quickly lead to mould.
To understand this process, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration: room temperature, relative humidity and dew point:
- Room Temperature - The temperature of the air in the room
- Relative humidity - The amount of water vapour in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at that specific temperature, expressed as a percentage
- Dew Point - The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become fully saturated with water vapour
Condensation forms when warm, humid air comes into contact with a cold surface and drops to its dew point. For example, imagine a bedroom on a cold winter morning. The room temperature is 20°C, and the relative humidity is 70% after two people have slept in the room overnight with the door and windows closed. The dew point is approximately 14°C. If the inside surface of an external wall or window falls to 14°C or below, moisture from the air will condense onto that surface. If this happens repeatedly and the moisture doesn't dry out, mould can begin to grow.
The best way to treat the problem isn’t just wiping away the moisture, but treating the factors that cause it to form – room temperature and relative humidity – by warming the home and increasing the room temperature, you are allowing the air to hold more moisture, making it difficult for condensation to form, if you add to this effective ventilation systems that remove the mosture laden air lowering the homes relative humidity. Meaning no condensation, no mould and a healthier home.
Summary
Managing condensation in your home doesn't have to be an uphill battle. By addressing ventilation and heating, you can help prevent condensation from building up, protecting your property and creating healthier environments for you and your family.
If you need help managing condensation in your home, get in touch with us today.