Do you have nagging damp problems in your home? This article will show you how to get rid of damp and keep it gone for good. Dampness in your home is not only a nuisance. It can also be very unhealthy for your family because the mould that sometimes grows in damp areas can cause mild to serious health issues - especially in the elderly, babies, and those with underlying illnesses. Here are some basic ways of keeping your home beautiful and protected from damp at all times.
Get rid of damp
Damp patches can occur for several reasons: broken roof tiles, leaking radiator valve, dripping waste pipe etc. It’s important to seek out the cause before dealing with repairs, or you’ll be repairing again and again. Once you’ve sorted all of the above, you’ll want to do the following to further deter damp.
1. Open windows to air rooms to reduce the formation of damp. Don’t always keep your windows closed - even in winter. Open your windows, especially bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms every day if you can. Keeping them open even for one hour a day will reduce your damp problems.
2. If you’re replacing your windows, have those with air or trickle vents fitted. These are tiny mesh-like holes found at the top (or bottom) of the windows that keep fresh air circulating when they’re closed. They shouldn’t come at an extra cost at all, but the benefits are great for keeping your home damp free. We keep our air vents on our windows open all year round. In extremely cold periods we close those in our bedroom windows but keep all the others open.
3. When you’re updating your bathroom, have an extractor fan fitted in this room and your kitchen to get rid of damp - if you haven’t already got them. I also open my kitchen window while boiling and straining rice and pasta. These cause a large amount of condensation. Condensation can cause dampness.
4. Don’t allow the damp to grow. As soon as you see it, deal with it. The longer you allow it to spread, the longer it’ll take to get to the bottom of the problem and have it fixed. A stitch in time… keeps damp from spreading - and it spreads quickly.
5. Use a dehumidifier to keep damp at bay. They’re quite affordable and really work with controlling moisture in the home.
Trouble shooting for damp in the home
Check your exterior to make sure there isn’t any blockage above the damp proof course.
Get rid of damp by making sure your gutters aren’t blocked and retaining water.
Always wear gloves when applying mould killers because they contain fungicide.
Do you suffer with damp in your home? What have you done in order to stop it recurring and what additional advice could you give to keep damp away for good?
Damp can cause mould on walls and furniture and make window frames rot. Damp cold housing encourages the growth of mould and mites, as mites feed on moulds and can increase the risk of respiratory illnesses in some people.
This is true, Jason. I forgot to mention the window frames in my article, but in our last house, this used to be a problem until we changed the windows in the rooms in question.
I agree Jason. Molds can be a great disaster to our homes and respiratory illnesses for people. For this reason, we must get rid of it before it even spread.
I have also found that in cold weather climates since your house is so airtight and efficient you really need a hot air exchange system.
Definitely. We work so hard to make our homes airtight in the winter, that we forget to let some fresh air in too. I insisted in getting our new windows all fitted with vents. I’ve found this one of the best solutions ever.
Now I know that this also caused some elderly diseases. This will contribute on how to maintain the home’s cleanliness.
Twitter: HardworkinJudy
March 25, 2012 at 9:48 pm #
I have a basement where the walls seep.
Judy recommends you read..So Much to Celebrate!
Have you ever had it checked out, Judy?
Hi Anne, another great article!
Quick question, did you mean a dehumidifer (as opposed to a humidifer) to help keep damp at bay? Air conditioners also dehumidify, which can help you cut down on moisture in your in your home’s air. You can even get models specially designed to offer a lot of dehumidification, so you don’t need to buy a separate device.
:-)! I did mean, humidifier. Thanks for spotting that one, Pat. I’ll change it now.
Bianca, you should try these suggestions and let me know how you get on, please.
Yes we have damps in our home..and I hate it.. truly I don’t know how to get rid of this hustle damps..
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