In England, almost 1 in 3 homes have damp and mould. It’s more common in rented homes. Damp and mould cause thousands of cases of asthma and chest infections every year. It can also cause sore eyes, eczema and fungal skin infections. It can affect your mental health too. Babies, children and pregnant women are most at risk.
Can anyone help me with this?
Yes! You can contact Citizen’s Advice for help. They can explain your rights and how to talk to your landlord. They can help you whether it’s a council, housing association or private landlord.
Citizen’s Advice Manchester – 0808 278 7800
citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk
If your landlord won’t help you, Manchester City Council can support you:
Manchester City Council 0161 234 5004
manchester.gov.uk/repairshelp
You can also ask your doctor to refer you to the Home Improvement Team whilst you are here today.
Condensation is the most common cause of damp and mould
Moisture in the air soaks into cooler surfaces like walls. This makes it easy for black mould to grow.
How can I prevent mould and damp caused by condensation?
- Keep your home warm. Make sure your heating works. Use it in cold weather often, if you can afford to.
- Keep the warmth in. Insulate your loft and walls and use double glazing where possible. Block draughts around windows and doors.
- Let fresh air in. Keep windows open (on the latch for safety). This is most important when you have been cooking or using the bathroom. Close inside doors to stop steam from spreading.
- Use fans and vents. Turn on extractor fans and keep small vents (trickle vents) open.
- Move furniture away from the walls to help air flow around the room.
- Test for moisture. Use a humidity (moisture) meter to check which rooms need better airflow.
- Cover pots and pans when cooking to reduce steam.
- Try not to dry clothes indoors. If you do dry clothes indoors, first use the washing machine spin cycle twice. Put your clothes rack near an open window and close the inside doors.
- Don’t use portable gas heaters indoors. These add a lot of moisture.
- Think about using a dehumidifier to help remove moisture from the air.
There are other causes of damp and mould.
Rising Damp (moisture coming up from the ground). You’ll see damp patches low down on the walls and on the ground floor. You may need to get the damp-proofing done again.
Penetrating Damp (caused by problems like a leaky roof or leaky pipes). Check the home for leaks and make sure water can’t get in. After fixing the leak, the damp area should dry out.