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?