A Tenant’s Guide to Condensation and Mould Growth

Please read the following guide as it will help you manage the conditions within your home and prevent any unnecessary deductions from your deposit. It gives you some useful tips to keep you as comfortable as possible whilst taking care of the property. Condensation and mould growth are caused by living conditions and is not to be confused with damp. It is the responsibility of the property occupier(s) to control condensation and mould growth.

Condensation and mould primarily presents itself between the months of October to March.

The black mould you typically see on walls in properties is called Aspergillus Niger (pronounced asper-JIL-us (stress on the third syllable, like “jill”) NY-jer (rhymes with “tiger”) and can be harmful to health if the fungal spores are inhaled, particularly if you’ve got asthma or a lung condition.

To remove the black mould you will need to use neat bleach or a fungal sterilising agent, adhering to safety precautions.

Heating

Balanced heating is crucial at all times. Having the heating on between October to March is necessary to help prevent mould growth. Simply switching the heating off could cause more problems, so here is a rough guideline of the target temperatures over the winter months:

7am ~ 5pm: 18 degrees
5pm ~ 10pm: 22 degrees
10pm ~ 7am: 14 degrees

Extractor Fans

If extractor fans are installed in bathrooms and the kitchen make sure they are operational at all times and do not isolate them. If you think they are faulty please report to us as a matter of urgency.

Drying Clothing

Although hanging clothes over radiators will dry them it releases a lot of moisture into the environment. It’s preferable if clothes are dried in the bathroom with the extractor fan running and the door closed.

Cooking

When cooking in pans use lids at all times and when boiling the kettle make sure you only fill with the amount of water actually required.

Ventilating

Whenever possible open windows (especially if there isn’t extractor fans installed) periodically which allows moisture to escape and have trickle vents on the windows open at all times. This is particularly important after bathing or showering. You may even want to invest in something like a Karcher window vacuum which removes moisture from the window panes.

Window Coverings

During daylight hours ensure blinds and curtains and kept open as much as possible; this allows proper air circulation through the window trickle vents and mould may form on the window coverings.

Furniture and Stored Items

Make sure furniture and stored items are placed at a minimum distance of 150mm from any wall. This will allow additional air movement and minimise mould growth.

Bathing

When filling the bath, run cold water first and then add hot water. This will greatly reduce the amount of steam and moisture into the air.

Tumble Dryers

If possible, tumble dryers need to be vented directly outside.

We hope you found this article useful but if you’ve got any questions whatsoever, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.