Understanding and managing winter damp in your home

Damp can be a problem in many homes all year round, but it can worsen in winter when the weather is wetter. At this time of year, we are also cautious about using the heating due to high energy bills. We look at what you need to understand about the causes of damp in your home and how to manage it in the colder months. 

Causes of damp

There are many causes of damp, some are structural e.g. rising damp or penetrating damp while other causes are related to how we live. This can be as a result of poor ventilation, creating too much moisture in the home and inadequately heating rooms. 

Finding the cause of the damp is a priority. Until you know the reason for it, you can’t eliminate it. Look for damp patches on your ceilings, walls, around skirting boards or behind furniture. The location of the damp will help you trace back to its source. 

How damp affects your home

Mould and mildew are visual clues to where damp is a problem but not the only way of finding it. Discoloration and stains on walls and ceilings, blown plaster and peeling wallpaper all point to a damp problem.  

Condensation can build up on cold surfaces and if not wiped away can cause wooden window frames to rot and mould to grow. Rising damp, when moisture from the ground rises through the walls of the house, can cause rotting skirting boards, damaged plaster and salt deposits. 

The damage caused by damp can be expensive and run to hundreds or even thousands of pounds depending on the cause. 

Tackling the causes of damp

When the source of the damp is established action can be taken to stop it recurring. For rising damp, a new damp proof course may be needed while penetrating damp from a leaking roof or damaged guttering can be addressed by repairs.. 

Damp caused by condensation should result in a change in how you deal with excess moisture from cooking, bathing and drying laundry. If the damp is due to a leaking pipe, you will need to get a plumber to repair it. 

Unless the underlying cause of the damp is addressed, you will continue to have problems. 

Preventing damp in the future

Addressing any structural problems is essential if that is the cause of the damp. For example, repair a blown window  or hire a roofer to replace damaged tiles. However, for many homes it is the way we live which causes damp problems. 

Adequate ventilation is key. In winter, our instinct is to keep windows and doors shut and close off any source of draughts or air flow. By sealing our homes from outside air and then producing warm, moist air inside from cooking, bathing, drying clothes, we are creating the ideal conditions for damp to prevail. 

Moist air when it finds a cold surface, dumps the water droplets as condensation and can result in damp. So we need to reduce the amount of moisture in the air in our homes by ensuring there is adequate ventilation at all times. This can be done by:

• Using extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom
• Opening windows when cooking or showering even if using an extractor, to provide air flow
• Not drying clothes on radiators but put them in a warm room with the window slightly open and the door shut
• Keeping the kitchen or bathroom door shut to stop moist air spreading to the rest of the house
• Maintain the heating at a consistent level rather than ramping it up to try and heat or dry out the home
• Use a squeegee on the shower walls and glass panels to prevent the water evaporating into the air, adding to the moisture content
• Put lids on pots when cooking
• Use a kettle that switches off promptly when it reaches boiling point
• Move furniture slightly away from walls to encourage airflow

By modifying our behaviour and understanding how the moisture content of the air can lead to damp, we can prevent the problem from occurring in the first place.