Try This Before You Spend Money on Damp Problems

[@exgren]

I have had damp and condensation problems for years... And after spraying the walls with mould killer and cleaning the walls and painting them at least 3 times every winter. I've finally had enough and spent 120 on a dehumidifier, and i am well impressed.. it didn't help living in a top floor flat and having to dry my washing indoors on a airer... BUT Even my washing dried within 5 hours instead of the usual 2 day's.... Job's a goodun

[@Francis-xl2gu]

Even better if you shut your drying washing and dehumidifier in a small room, mine works a treat

[@tomthompson7400]

You would be amazed at how many folk will complain about mould , and wont open a window ever.

[@rolandhawken6628]

Oh no I would not I used to rent to students ,Medical ones were the worst putting wet clothes on rads to dry then complaining about mould on the walls they were incapable of rational thought everything that went wrong was the landlords fault even them losing their keys lol

[@auntsally3821]

@rolandhawken6628 How else do they dry their clothes. They can't afford to put the heating on so why would they freeze with Windows open? Greedy landlord's make a fortune out of students

[@tomthompson7400]

@@auntsally3821 wow,,,,, your not just stupid ,,,, your way more stupid than that . Greedy landlords certainly do not make a fortune out of students ,,, if you really think thats the case I could explain why it isnt true , but I doubt you would understand , theres a reason student house rent is more than other rents ,,,,

[@PumpTheRod]

​@@auntsally3821 ..............My friend you are a complete idiot. That's putting it politely.

[@rolandhawken6628]

@@auntsally3821 I supplied a separate cloth dryer most landlords do it saves damage and I supplied dehumidifiers ,they still put wet clothes on the radiators as for making a fortune out of students it is the lowest point in the renting game wanton damage of property drawing on walls is common . If you think there is a lot of money to be made try it go on I dare you will soon find how stupid your remark is . As for not affording heating they put multiple names on the services then don't settle the bills the worst of them were medical students always bouncing cheques . For a small fee i can tell you where and how to make a lot of money in renting but it is a million miles away from student letting lol

[@egocd]

Some tips from me. I have multiple of these small devices over the house and track humidity carefully after previously having mould in the bathroom. Anywhere between 40% and 60% at 18-21c is considered good for the UK. Any lower and the air is a bit too dry. Numbers up to 70% are ok for shorter periods, but you should try to keep it below 60% for the majority of the time. It's quite difficult to do this in the Spring and Autumn as the UK is actually a relatively humid Country, being surrounded by Ocean. It's much easier in the winter as the colder the air, the less moisture it can hold, so there is much less moisture in the air at 90% humidity at 5c than at 90% 20c. This means if you have high humidity in your home (over 60%) and it's cold outside, open all your windows for 10 minutes and watch the humidity drop. This will do far more than a dehumidifer at keeping the humidity down, though do still use one if you need it as it can be great to keep the levels down the rest of the time, especially if you're drying clothes etc indoors. Ventilate regularly and you'll be doing better than most people!

[@robertdavies922]

Most people are astounded when you tell them they just need to open a window. “But that will let the cold in!” Basic science eludes so many.

[@mryan4452]

Opening a window will do more than a dehumidifier to keep humidity down?! You can do either, successfully, to get the humidity down. Although airing it out will get rid of stale air. Like most things it's down to cost. I wonder which is cheaper, opening a window and re-heating the air, or turning on the dehumidifier, for the same reduction in humidity?

[@egocd]

@ Yes, it will. It’s physics. If you need a rapid reduction in humidity, then ventilation is better. As I said, for the rest of the time and to keep humidity down, I recommend using a dehumidifier. Opening the windows for 5-10 minutes will not drastically reduce the temperature that much unless it’s freezing outside. Even then, everything inside the thermal envelope of your house will take much longer to cool down than the air. Once you close the windows the air will start warming up again immediately, due to everything in the house still being warm and giving off heat into the air. You may need a small top up with heating, but the air will also be much fresher, which is not only pleasant, but also healthier.

[@brianmcintyre14]

Don't open them when it's raining or particularly high humidity outside though or you just might end up letting more moisture in. I'm finding a combo of purging stale air and running a dehumidifier (Meaco Arete Two) to be quite effective but it's a constant battle in my house through winter. Air circulation has a huge effect as well, you'll see a massive benefit to opening windows specifically on windy days, the humidity in your house will be blown away quite literally, far more effective than the dehumidifier in truth. Stick a fan on and the humidity will drop.

[@paulduguet9420]

If you open all the windows at once it’ll be much more cost effective and quick to make the humidity levels drop as it will make the air around the whole property circulate and partially renew. Other thing to consider is, despite the new air inside being cold, it’ll have a lower absolute humidity, i.e. less particles of water in the air, which will make it easier to heat up, so that will offset a bit of the cost of heating afterwards. Dryer air also feels more comfortable, which means you’ll feel less cold with 16C at 50% humidity than at 18C with 70% humidity

[@gee3883]

Am I the only one who enjoyed nosing around Rodgers house ? lol. I really admire the fact he left it as lived in as normal ( this is how we live take it or leave it ) what a great bloke.

[@John-g1x]

@@gee3883 how was he not snapped up by TV 30 years ago, obviously he didn't wanna do it,biy he could have if he wanted that's for sure. Should be a household name

[@jonb3311]

@@John-g1x They're looking for a Cock-a-knee type for some cooking programme on the telly...

[@adriancarey7848]

What a sound non pretentious bloke, happy to show you around his own house. Great advice.

[@SkillBuilder]

yes my wife says "Why didn't you tidy up first?"

[@nickhickson8738]

A proper lived in house where happiness abounds I would think.

[@bob900868]

You had the hoover out Roger, does that not qualify? ​@@SkillBuilder

[@chrishart8548]

Ive got 3 dehumidifiers now one upstairs one downstairs and one in the garage. Best thing i ever did. Before this we were getting soaking wet windows upstairs every morning,. Also if you put the washing by the dehumidifier its dry in a few hours.

[@6panel300]

Having worked on 100s of houses over the years I have come across more mould in newer houses than the older houses. One of the biggest problems is ventilation or lack of it. The old houses with drafty windows tend to have less mould but may suffer with rising damp etc which is a different issue. With new houses people tend to close the window vents and wall vents. I have even found on numerous occasions paper stuffed in vents. With one customer I told them not to do this but when they called me back a couple of months later saying the mould had returned I found the wall vent had been stuffed with paper again and the window vents closed. I even tried to explain the wall vent was there because the had a wood burner. I ended up walking out as they wouldn't listen. You just can't help some people.

[@philipo5259]

Spot on.

[@Lee.Willcox]

Roger dear fellow, you are a star mate. I have spent the past 3 years refurbishing this house of ours. We have a small amount of mould on one bedroom ceiling, but, I only recently put heating in. All electric so I am assuming that three years without any has lead to a build up of condensation. I sprayed the patch with a mix of water and bleach, then wiped it off. The plaster is solid so I don't think I have anything to worry about. There was a little bit of mould around the window frame in the same bedroom at the same place as the ceiling. Cleaned all of that too. This is the last room in our home I have got to work on too. Fingers crossed. Cheers as always Mr !

[@AlbionDreamer]

Property orientation north facing colder/damper in winter. South facing warmer subject to sun. Bought 4 hygrometers/thermometers 3 years ago, found a 4 degree difference between N and S. Humidity above 60% place felt cold. Bought myself a compressor dehumidifier. Ditched tumble drier. Gas/electric DD still £55 a month still have a £450+ surplus on the account. Buy cheap moisture probes to check your walls. Get occasional condensation on the double glazing more on the N than S and only if the temperature drops to around 0 ish. Also helps to keep internal doors open when the dehumidifier is running. One humidity levels hit low 50's the house heats up quickly

[@_J.F_]

Very often people can lower the humidity in their home simply by remembering to air out the place a couple of times a day. With hot baths, showers, kettles boiling water, cooking and simply people breathing, a big amount of moisture is introduced into the home every day and if not aired out regularly the humidity will build up and start saturating walls, furniture, carpets etc and soon you will have mould to deal with too.

[@dallan7740]

I recently upgraded the inline extractor fan in the bathroom and it made a massive difference to moisture levels in there. New fan is twice as powerful. It's directly above the shower and you can see the moisture getting sucked out. Bathroom used to be a haven for mould, but this has helped massively. Inline fan was about 40 quid on amazon.

[@shu1981noah]

Been living in damp places in Wales for years. They haven't been very well insulated if at all, so you can't heat them well, just because of the cost. Ventilation helps, but you'd be freezing if you ventilated too much without insulation. It's hard to know how best to insulate these older places, especially without ruining the aesthetics. Dehumidifiers are fantastic for reducing humidity. However, these days they're getting expensive to run. Mine uses a little under 400w. They're also noisy.

[@terencebarrett2897]

Absolutely wonderful house and a open accommodating gentleman showing us his house and home,I've seen lots of his helpful building plumbing videos , God bless you and your family

[@Harley-ir4er]

Iv'e owned one of these gadgets for a couple of years now, highly recommended. Fab house Roger, love the single glazed sash windows. Maybe homes have too much insulation these days.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Usually have the cooker hood running most of the day on low and the bathroom extractor fan running a long time in the day, zero mould, house kept comfortable warm, around 18 to 20 degrees, and when we are home the vent windows ars open a bit, and always open at night. We also have injected rockwool. Seems to be fine. Also in winter the log burner heat warms the house, touch wood, there is no damp unlike when we first moved in 20 yrs ago, mould everywhere. Previous old lady didn't care. 👍👍

[@nigel9843]

Top tip Rodger, have dehumidifiers in our house sorted out the damp problem.

[@chrishart8548]

When I first got ours I was emptying it 3 times a day. Now it tends to fill around half. On a dry day it's not much at all. They do a great job and I'm sure the heating does have to work so hard it's barely on.

[@johnparnell8571]

Mostly a winter phenomenon. Warm moist air coming into contact with cold (exterior) walls or windows is where most condensation - and mould - will accumulate. Having adequate ventilation is key. I keep my 'trickle valves' on my UPvC windows open all year round, or alternatively, just open a top window a crack in each room and keep doors open for periods to allow air to circulate. Open wardrobes too if they are built against a cold wall. Close the kitchen door when cooking, likewise the bathroom when showering, and open a window or leave an extractor fan on until you have finished and all condensation has dispersed. Lastly, black mould thrives in darkened rooms filled with warm, moist, still air. Deny it these essentials. Open curtains to let in maximum natural light during daylight hours.

[@dovedaledampcureserviceslt2248]

Great advice Roger. I find that with lots of people with a dehumidifier that they have it turned off at the most important time - when they are asleep in bed. This is the time when excess humidity in a home does its worse work. I guess they do this because lots of dehumidifiers are somewhat noisy and they don’t want that when trying to sleep. They do have a marked effect on humidity levels at times though.

[@aps-pictures9335]

Our house went from 80% to 60% day 1 of installing a PIV! Recommended

[@allsystemsdownagain9553]

Whats PIV??

[@aps-pictures9335]

@ Positive Input Ventilation - pushing all the moist air out of the house and brings fresh air in! Costs about 10p an hour in electricity (winter time) is the only thing… but in our old house, is either that or damp…

[@95JohnR]

Do you have air vents or trickle vents? Or can you run a PIV without them?

[@aps-pictures9335]

@ We’re running it without, only because our roof itself is poorly insulated (just tiles). We find there’s plenty of airflow. As we can insulate the ceiling, we may not insulate the tiles - but if we do, we’ll see then if we need either of those. They look easy to install tbfair! But like I say, we’ve not needed to do anything besides install the PIV. We got a heated one (Left on full at 15C), which I’d recommend - as the breeze from it isn’t particularly warm at 15C. We find below 5C outside our house stays above 15C anyway, 5-13C outside and it sits around 18-19C indoors with the PIV on 24/7. There are 6 settings on it, and we’ve got it on 3 - Nuaire I think the brand is. House has no wall insulation, which is where we got lots of condensation problems which are now gone.

[@barryfoster453]

Ecoair DD1 Simple. Never bought anything like it - had four dehumidifiers over the years, before I found that. Mind you, we are on the third one after a few years, as the fans get noisy after three years. Put it on low fan, but humidistat right up, and empty it twice a day (about 10 litres). My experience with humidity levels is that you want them no more than 50%. AND buy a Vent-Axia Lo-carbon Tempra for the worst room.

[@frankw9836]

I live in northern Ireland where outdoor humidity is always above 90% inside around 75/80% even with 2 humidifier running it goes never down below 70 % I also have those dehumidifier bags everywhere, which are full after a week. I have bought myself a window vacuum, to clean my windows and shower. I sleep with the window open, even now in winter

[@robertsmith421]

Really interesting. We have some historical damp coming from the roof until we had the roof replaced. We live in a flood plain area and have just had new flood resistant front, back and patio doors and now we are seeing loads more patches of damp in new places. Had a damp expert come round and said we needed a dehumidifier which we purchased. Another one came round and was shocked that a damp expert would recommend these as they are not good for you and he only recommends that we use it when drying the washing and he said we need air vents in the rooms which will solve the problem

[@axnax1]

I don't know if it would be a complete cure but what I've found helps massively is to Leave the bathroom window closed, when you shower, and let the extractor fan (if you haven't got one fitted,,,get one) do it's job. I used to leave the window open in bathroom while i showered and that just pushed wet air into the corners of our bedrooms. As soon as i started to keep the window shut when i showered no more damp patches on cold walls. Also when cooking use lids and always turn on your cooker hood. Try not to dry clothes on radiators. We use a tumble.

[@terry.chootiyaa]

*Brilliant video mate , even Mr Rigsby (Rising Damp) would approve 😊👍❤*

[@PK-gw8ve]

Positive air pressure ventilation system fitted one for our home condensation gone overnight. Around £300 .

[@yoshisdaddy]

The single glazed windows with a bit of a draught - i always say a tiny draught is a good thing. It basically is a highly likely cure for damp and humidity. They should nearly be compulsory! Trickle vents just dont do the job mostly because people will shut them and if they get clogged then they're as good as useless.

[@Exposure2life]

I recently installed a replacement Manrose bathroom extractor fan with humidity sensor, am glad to say it works well and kicks in at 65%RH (when showering with the bathroom light off.). Has not come on at any other times yet. Upstairs I have an AEG portable air conditioner which in the winter is used as a dehumidifier, it literally sucks the moisture out of the atmosphere, 10 minutes in the morning is good enough to bring RH down to 55%. Bonus of this is it outputs heat as it dehumidifies. No noticeable increase in energy bills, it is likely I am using less gas to heat. A PIV is always in the back of my mind but am also considering split air to air heat pump air conditioners - then consider disconnection from the gas mains? I know, I have hot water to sort out...

[@craigkinney853]

Most damp nowadays in older houses is down to incorrectly fitted loft insulation and cavity wall. Simple fact much of the UK housing stock is not suitable for cavity wall and the people who install it are not regulated properly. My advice. Make sure you have loft ventilation Make sure you cavity had the correct type of insulation and cavity wall separation >50mm

[@brianballard905]

With the target "below 60%" you must consider the levels outside. Mild wet conditions as we have had recently are the worst. At 12C/100% (as it has been recently) the lowest internal humidity you can achive at 20C is 60%. At 13C/100% the lowest is 65%

[@SkillBuilder]

That is why the measurement is relative ot the temperature.

[@chillimunki]

Removing mould from walls and ceilings can be be done easily in most instances. Once a day open your doors and windows for 15 - 25 minutes. The rooms need to have fresh air circulating. If you don’t believe me try it for a week. Obviously if you have a lot of mould then you need to remove it first by using a bleach spray and wiping it off. The key is to reduce moisture build up and have air flow. Yes a dehumidifier will work but airing the room is much more effective.

[@johnrodgers2018]

Great advice , I found dehumidifiers quite expensive to run , a pain and noisy. Ended up going with a positive ventilation system , it was easy to install and relatively inexpensive , oh and ceiling fans to keep air moving to stop mold

[@gee3883]

Tips on reducing humidity folks. Dry clothes outside as much as possible, dry clothes outside, try not to dry them on rads. Whilst cooking boil veg etc with lids on, try not to mop floors in the winter, fit extractors to bathrooms, kitchens, if you can't, leave bathroom doors open after showering to allow moisture to move into the rest of the house rather than let it sit in one room, use a squeegee on glass screens after showering. Remove any visible condensation /water on windows immediately with towels.

[@rossmax767]

Bathroom door closed and window open - don’t let the moisture into the rest of the house.

[@gee3883]

@@rossmax767 yeah id say thats a better idea.

[@tubesomething]

Genuine question - does towelling really help? That's moving the water, onto the towel, from where it'll evaporate into the air anyway. Perhaps it helps by delaying the evaporation until later?

[@emcarver8983]

Not everyone can

[@PureSpirit347]

@@rossmax767 Yes, if you have a bathroom window...many homes do not unfortunately.

[@bruce-le-smith]

we live on a cool island and all of this advice worked for us! we're careful about using the kitchen and bathroom fans for hot water, and have a dehumidifier in the laundry, plus a couple of fans moving air. and draughty windows haha. little analogue moisture meters here and there to verify it's all working, and it is! in contrast I lived in London once upon a time, with a boat load of flatmates and none of the above, and that ground floor flat was a nightmare of mould. it's amazing how quickly a kettle left to boil can raise the levels without a proper exhaust fan! worth checking it actually exhausts outside and not into the attic, a neighbour of mine was unlucky

[@Jules_Pew]

I rented a flat between selling and buying. Due to the wet weather, i think it was damper outside than in - mushrooms grew in the bathroom. Never had that before as I always open windows until it gets to below 4C. This was in summer.

[@killpop8255]

60%!!! Mine were 70 to 80. Been running dehumidifiers heavily for weeks. Still taking like 2 litres from one room every day. Finally those high level are not showing if I turn them off overnight.

[@MaidanRustle]

What a stunning house. Have you any tips for condensation on the window panes through the night? In the cold winter the window panes get fully soaked and there is water on the sills in the morning. Thank you.

[@AnthonyTeasdale]

100% you need to monitor to have any chance of dealing with it or if your changes have had any effect.

[@stevek3036]

The more insulated a building is the more windows you need to open. I have a dehumidifier as my bungalow has the blasted cavity wall blown fibre stuff put in 10 yrs ago and the walls cannot no longer vent through moisture. I compounded the problem by fitting closed cell insulation in the loft that works very well by adds to the issue. I use a gas oven to cook that runs for 3 hrs every day. I have a proper extractor in the bathroom with humidity sensor override. I live alone. I use a de-humidifier to keep humidity down to between 55 and 65% once in the evening for 3 hrs but still get condensation problems behind my insulated curtains. Bottom line is that you need to vent in cold outside air (with very low ACTUAL humidity) to replace hot air with shed loads of humidity. This defeats the whole concept of insulating your home to the point where it is draft = air-tight. The solution in my opinion (yet to fit) will be several heat exchange ventilation fans around the building to bring in cold (very low actual humidity) air heated by the expelled warm (very high actual humidity air) I'm talking about actual humidity as against RELATIVE humidity - there is a big difference

[@MikaMikaMika89]

I have heard 66% and above is where mould grows. The biggest thing you can do is to have open windows or extractor fans in your kitchen and bathroom. Close doors when using those rooms (the humidity during a hot shower can go above 90%) so that the moist air doesn't travel around your home and cause issues. Personally I live in a 60 year old house converted in to a flat, I bought a 12l/day dehumidifier and for a fairly cheap running cost (10-20p/day) it keeps any room I'm in from creeping up, without it the levels were 70-75% every morning.

[@philiphumphrey1548]

The humidity inside is influenced by the humidity and temperature outside. A damp mild day will result in a high reading inside because the air being ventilated in already contains a lot of moisture. A cold day outside will cause much lower humidity inside, because the cold air coming in holds very little water in total, even if it is 100% saturated at the outside temperature. If the RH is still high inside with a warm house and cold weather outside, then you need more ventilation.

[@leemacgregor1]

Our house always gets above 60%, we get it down to mid 50s with dehumidifier on but can't get below 50%, we now have baby so got steam steriliser on, plus pretty open plan 3 story house with lower floor sub terrain basement. I've recently installed insulation plasterboards on 90% external walls as house in detached built 1970s, only walls couldn't do were external kitchen and bathroom. It's made huge difference with retaining warmth.

[@markthomasson5077]

As a retired architect I can say that most damp problems are blocked gutters and down pipes / drains. Of course a decent bathroom and kitchen extract is essential Thick curtains are a great way to get condensation on your windows! Try secondary glazing, even cheap film, but don’t fully draught seal the window first.

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

Presumably you mean DO fully draught seal the window first.

[@markthomasson5077]

@ not fully, if there is a wee bit of air from outside getting in it stops condensation

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

@@markthomasson5077 Of course it doesn't! Wet air coming into the space will condense on the cold glass!

[@markthomasson5077]

@ no it’s the wet air from inside that condenses. Air outside is usually drier than air inside, once it warms up a bit. I fitted interior secondary glazing to my bathroom. It did get some condensation until a drilled two 1/2” holes through the frame to outside.

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

@@markthomasson5077 You are clearly not a physicist! Sealed unit double glazing is SEALED for a reason! When the seal breaks (to the inside or the outside) the unit will develop condensation inside for the reason which I stated. The reason that your method results in no condensation is because the thermal mass of the polythene is low, and the air space is now cold however this set up will conduct heat away from the room faster (there's a reason why people fit double glazing). You are basically defeating the object of having a secondary layer of glazing. Bad advice is worse than no advice at all. Best to remain quiet when you have no specialist knowledge.

[@hookedonwood5830]

We got a simple heat regenerating wall went that push air in and out through a honeycomb ceramic core that stores the heat from inside and reheat the fresh and dry air from the the outside. This is in our mud room but has reduced moisture all over the house. An additional one would do even more but has not been needed.

[@bruce-le-smith]

a video on this would be cool, i havent seen one of those setups!

[@hookedonwood5830]

@ kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2naeoGpqZmglbMsi=29LFHZr7ulpmhNkD

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

Fix gutters. Buy a desicant dehumidifier. Buy a hygrometer if you want to see how well the plan worked. Job done.

[@PureSpirit347]

Yes, I agree...Desicant dehumidifier is the way to go, better than the compressor type for the issues mentioned.

[@ianparkes2538]

Brilliant advice get a dehumidifier , every home will benefit from one . Much better than these silly air circulation devices that cost way more to fit and run plus they suck your heat out

[@Kmobful]

It did get very humid here in the midlands after that little cold snap. I got cold bridging I havent had in over 20 years in this place. Even had to check the chimney in the loft. Condensation ran off that painting a damp patch on the bedroom ceiling!

[@chips8388]

Quick one to say - compressor based dehumidifiers do work best if the air in the room is warm(ish); below 15 degrees they're not that effective, so that humidity meter with the temp gauge is ideal. It's now on order, as I don't know the temp either - so a great and timely video cheers :) Following up what someone else said. Bathrooms - leave fans on longer, and use wiper blade style implements to clear water from enclosures/tiles into drain/plug. You'll have less moisture that's drying rather than draining, so less humidity issues from the start. It really does make a lot of difference; tenants used to have black mould a lot apparently. I moved in after purchasing the place, no mould in 3 years. Now if only I could fit a condenser column on top of the pans/rice cooker...

[@chrishart8548]

We were getting mould in our rental property a dehumidifier fixed it no issues. Dehumidifier is always the answer.

[@plumpii7177]

I have a dehumidifier on my landing, I buzz it every few days to clear up the moisture... I went to flip the mattresses once and there was visible damp on the underside.. the dehumidifier has solved it..

[@frankmatibs8076]

Change the air regularly Bathroom extractors just pull all the damp air in the rest of the house into the bathroom Use heat recovery fans or whole house system These should be fitted to new build by law

[@0skar9193]

Improve ventilation. Most rentals I work in the rooms are cold and there is either no ventilation (trickle vents or air bricks) or they are closed/blocked.

[@jonh1808]

Exactly. This is 100% about ventilation and not much else. I was without a boiler for 3 years whilst doing a lot of work on the house and working away Monday - Friday, humidity over winter was around 70%, no mould, no damp, no nothing, because the place was well ventilated. Just not very warm!

[@pasgas12safe58]

If anyone tries the temp/humidity sensors, you'll need to leave it in the room for half an hour or so, to allow the reading's to settle. You'll also probably find the cheaper sensors aren't as accurate as more expensive one's, but they're good enough. If you buy 2, you'll see they will rarely read the same.

[@GdaySport]

Wish my humidity levels were 47%! Typically around 55-60% in our house. The main problem is we have no kitchen extractor. When they fitted the kitchen they put one in, but it just filters and recirculates, and there is no way to get a duct to an outside wall due to joists and steel beams. We run two extractors, but they use quite a bit of power when they kick in every time we cook something or have a shower.

[@andyarchitect]

Be aware that humidity sensors are far less accurate than digital thermometers so when new they typically display within plus or minus 5% of the actual humidity... so 2 brand new sensors can be 10% different from each other if they are 5% out in opposite directions. The margin of error increases each year. They are a great guide but don't get too hung up on the numbers. Just learn what figure keeps the condensation off the windows on a frosty morning and use that as your target. Dehumidifiers are great and have made a big difference in my house. Personally would recommend going for a bigger unit rather than a smaller one. It costs more per hour but then only runs half the time so works out the same per litre removed. Small units will be working much harder to keep the humidity under control.

[@robertmawby3021]

First piece of advice I give to householders who call me for “damp” problems is……. Ventilation! Open some windows, open the trickle vents in the window frames, get regular air flow through the property!! Next is check the gutters! There, that’s sorted 90% of all so-called damp problems. 👍

[@simontist]

@@robertmawby3021 and check for blocked air bricks is another 9%...

[@FiveRustyNails]

Very interesting, I used to live in the UK before I moved to Australia where we don't really have damp issues at all but I wish I'd known a bit more about the constant issues that damp causes when I lived there.

[@zaxmaxlax]

Over 80% here. What worked for me was keeping the fireplace lit.

[@klang180]

We have a humidity gauge and it's always over 70%! Dehumidifier doesn't really cut it. Same in this house as the last!

[@ash3rr]

I'm in Northern Finland, in a log house. Typical RH inside my house is about 60% (I already have a meter), in Summer time it can go to about 80% ... We don't even have plastic film in the walls, so it's not about some dampness issues.

[@SkillBuilder]

80% is fairly typical in the summer in U.K. It is not a problem except in my cellar which is cooler and condensation builds up. In the winter the cellar is dry.

[@ash3rr]

@@SkillBuilder do you have airflow down there, i just ran went down into my basement with the meter, went to about 60% ... my house was built in 1937, basement is warm (as in it's not just for storage), it does have air ducts in the walls with airflow from outside, probably helps a bit. We had recently water ingress down there. strange part is there is no mould, no smell. Basement walls are concrete lined with wood and insulation, but only seems to be minor damage around the bottom of the walls. I'm considering to excavate put new pipes and water barrier on outside, but then... probably start tearing out the downstairs floors/walls to the concrete.

[@byMRTNjournals]

Get a proper dehumidifier with a constant drain function. First step in heating the home is drying the home. If you let the moisture out the window, you're letting you're money go out the window. A dehumidifier separates the heat from the water and you get to keep the heat.

[@ferrworxeinside3985]

My house is so damp it wont catch fire. 78% at 13°c. 💪💪💪

[@Francis-xl2gu]

Meaco Arete ! Works great

[@supaste]

I have recently done this with the addition of sending the data to a home server running home assistant. 3 bluetooth sensors and a raspberry pi. About £130. Really useful in tracking humidity and it has helped me work out problem areas/times and allowed me to modify thermostat times and know when to open windows. I have 2 cheap dehumidifiers hooked up to smart plugs now which come on automatically. 2 Zigbee smart plugs plus a zigbee reciver about £35 and makes dumb dehumidifiers 'smart' with a little setup.

[@dilligaf2386]

I put a vent in my living room it is only a 3 inch round vent all mould has cleared up. I also did your trick eith toilet roll adnd bleach around the bath amazingly all gone.

[@jmcc524]

Swapping our bathroom extractor for a dmev made our relative humidity drop by about 10%

[@bv3bv334]

Humidity in the UK is on average 70-90%. So any ventilation just lets more humidity from the outside environment into the house. A constant battle. Just live with it. Keep the place warm in the winter, and airy in the summer.

[@SkillBuilder]

Oh! I thought the idea of opening a window vent was to let moist air out, my mistake.

[@bv3bv334]

@@SkillBuilder Take a dehumidifier outside and let it run for a while.

[@bv3bv334]

@@SkillBuilder Of course, whilst generating a lot of moisture it is a good idea. Taking a shower, cooking, drying clothes inside etc. But as a general rule? Any air that is vented through a window has to be replaced with air from somewhere. Which of course will come from outside. We live on an island surrounded by water. Our predominate airflow arrives from the Atlantic and is loaded with moisture. Periods of high pressure will see slightly lower levels of humidity, as the airflow tends to originate over the continent. But in general it's a high humidity region of the planet.

[@uncouthboy8028]

Nice house Rog.

[@SkillBuilder]

Thank you kindly

[@johnhaydon4055]

Nice one Roger, very timely. Just been round to a flat today where the tenant reports mould all over the place. Sure enough it is widespread but just a very light build up, no big black rotten patches anywhere. I asked her where do you dry your laundry? In the spare bedroom, then how warm do you keep it in here? it was pretty chilly when I was there, Well I don't have the heating on much as I don't like it too warm. I will get one of those gizmos and try to figure out what to do next. I think being fairly cool the RH builds up too high and there is condensation in and behind most of the cupboards. ATB mate.

[@chips8388]

Open windows is a cheap way to also remove moisture from the air if it's a dry day (even if cold) outside.

[@gee3883]

see my comment above, tenants are notorious for drying clothes on rads.

[@plumbertime]

Great video on damp and mould, that would probably fix all rentals straight away!!! If you still have damp after that prob penetrating then last the dreaded cement render fix rising damp!?

[@Tenoct91]

Most damp and mould is caused by the householder. Heating is expensive so they close all the vents and then dry clothes inside.

[@andyhello23]

Can you do a video, on a fault on underfloor heating, where the hot water from the boiler goes to the manifold, and it does not really go anywhere at the pump stage of the manifold. Ie the pump in the first step of the manifold, our hot water from boiler goes to this point, and does not seem to go any further, it just stops at that pump on the manifold, so the rooms are not getting warm. If you understand what i just wrote, is it possible you can do a video on how to fix this Ie what is the fault, would it be the pump you need to replace on manifold, or would there be sludge in that part or something blocking the hot water from boiler being pumped into the underfloor heating. You do great vids, just wondering if you can do a video on what you think this is and how to fix it.

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Andy Send me a photograph of the maifold as it is when it is operating with the pump on. www.skill-builder.uk/send

[@tintin6892]

Roger, please can you make a video about how to balance ventilation against keeping the house warm? Our ventilation is such that we don't have humidity issues, but we're flippin' freezing when the heating/logburner isn't on because the house (mid-30s semi) cools down so quickly with cold air pushing the warm air out. Thanks.

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

Dessicant dehumidifier...

[@lmtliam]

It's good to see the 2-over-2 sash windows still in place. The plastic replacements look hideous.

[@yorkshire_tea_innit8097]

If you had rising damp, wouldn't you also have high humidity anyway? It also depends a lot on the day.

[@johncranna9427]

No to rising damp and high humidity.

[@sa3kes111]

Cant seem to do the same with my house, we leave the windows open for a bit in the morning and then turn the heating on - the house seems to hover around 60-70% humidity all the time, unless I turn the dehumidifier on. Uninsulated floors on a suspended floor maybe contributing?

[@MartinSlucutt]

Do you live in an area with high humidity outside, such as by the coast? In such a location it seems having an uninsulated suspended floor can result in very humid air circulating via the air bricks under the ground floor, around the loft via the vents and makes it difficult to air the place via open windows. Especially when the humidity is higher outside.

[@williambelford9661]

I live in a row of houses built circa 1750, they've been "modernised with central heating, double glazing, fitted kitchens and bathrooms. Many of the occupants complain about damp and mould, problems I've not experienced - could this be down to me running my central heating regularly and keeping the trickle vents open 24/7 on every window and always using the vented extractor hood when cooking?

[@johncranna9427]

Its impossible to give a definitive answer but if they dont do what you do then that doesn't help! We really need to know the whole story of house insulation and living habits. The problem is trying to have C21th lifestyle in an C18th house.

[@edwardpickering9006]

Get an Ebac dehumidifier, designed and built in the UK.

[@johncranna9427]

It's best to work out why you have high humidity and rectify it rather than going to dehumidifiers straight away.

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

Compressor dehumidifiers are no good unless you can heat. Dessicant dehumidifier will work at any temperature. High humidity usually arises from occupancy and low ventilation, assuming your gutters are not blocked.

[@jack504]

I'm in valley near the coast, 1906 terrace, road is only 7m above sea level. When i first moved in there was already black mould around some of the windows, which i cleaned away. Got a humidity sensor and found the house was often over 80% RH. I've since fitted a PIV which changes the house air five times a day. The humidy now is usually around 60% RH. In spring and autumn the outside weather is sometimes at 100% humidity anywhere from 15-20dC, the house still goes over 70% RH around these times. Not much to be done other than expensive dehumidifiers or moving inland 😢

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

If you have to heat the air in the house five times a day then PIV will not be efficient or efficacious. Dessicant dehumidifier.

[@jack504]

​@@Humanity101-zp4sq most of the thermal mass in a house is the materials used to build it, second the contents and then the air. The air overturning is not so detrimental for heating cost and it's better for health.

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

@@jack504 You've entirely misunderstood the thermodynamics of heating a living space. Most peope cannot afford to heat the thermal mass of the building and only heat the air in the space. This is what makes the room 'feel' warm. SHC of dry wood, concrete and air are all about the same. Densities are very different! As the amount of water in the air increases the SHC increases. Water has an SHC four times higher. Heat dry air and you'll be cosy without wasting energy or money. Bad advice is worse than no advice at all. No wonder people don't understand how to manage dampness.

[@jack504]

​@@Humanity101-zp4sq if you have your central heating on in winter and you're warm, you have physically heated the fabric of your house. Heat loss calculations look at equilibrium losses through the ceiling, walls and floors. Talking about keeping just your body warm is a different kettle of fish

[@Humanity101-zp4sq]

@@jack504 You haven't addressed any of the nonsense which you previously wrote. Heating the fabric of a house with a central heating system (which I do not use) heats the first few milimetres of the contents and walls. Equilibrium losses are mostly concerned with leakage (of air) through draughts. Floors. ceilings and walls are generally well insulated and neither conduct nor store measureable amounts of heat from an internal heat source. You clearly know nothing about thermodynamics. I refer to my previous comments. Most people prefer to remain silent or back down and allow others to think that they are stupid. It is another thing altogether to keep talking nonsense, keep digging that hole, and to remove all doubt. Waste your own money at your own discretion. Maybe you should just stick a 3kW heater in the yard for good measure. Jog on.

[@Samxronn]

The amount of people drying their clothes inside in the winter all that moisture being trapped in their homes. Stop drying clothes in the house without opening doors, windows or having a dehumidifier Use your kitchen extra fan Use your bathroom extractor fan

[@GlennPierce]

People don't like sitting in the livingroom in the winter with windows open. Life is not always as easy as some make it out to be. Its often raining in the uk with high humidity . I am sitting here with the humidity outside at 88, inside 77. We have dehumidifier but it is a balancing act against being cold / the cost of heating and getting clothes dry. I have bit the bullet am just bought a heat pump dryer though as the clothes situation is just too much. Some people don't have the resources / space for those though.

[@mhoward181]

Hi. Excellent video. I have a rented property. I will check the humidity when I get chance. Like in your video. The bay window I mean. The living room windows have some damp below them on the plaster. You can see the metal beading below the windows going a bit rusty. Could it be that I need to replace the existing double glazing for new. The existing double glazing don’t have the usual built in vent things at top of window. Thanks.

[@arpadvarga3475]

Nest show humidity if going up I put the windows on latches...but that cost some more on heating

[@muttleydog4682]

Had a previously bricked up fireplace opened up and a log burner fitted, the humidity level in the whole house dropped and the black mold problems we had in the bay window at the front of the house disappeared.

[@SkillBuilder]

I love my log burner, it is on now.

[@megamnn1]

Just wondering. how much can you trust them? my states 20% good or bad?

[@alistermunro7090]

I get a ridiculous amount of condensation on the outside of the windows, maybe an inch clear around the edges. They were fitted last year and I presume argon filled. They are doing a fantastic job of keeping the heat inside. My question, are the hydrophobic coatings worth it or is there anything else I can do to see outside?

[@SkillBuilder]

That is very commong on good double glazing

[@chriscrumly]

I wish I could afford to increase the house temperature to the cosy comfort of 19.5C to decrease the humidity and decrease the condensation. No doubt I will be towel drying the windows every morning all winter in the fleeced hoodie or will have to spend more money on the heat and less on the eat and pay more towards the rocket high revenues being exploited from the rocket high energy tariffs!

[@keswickadventure]

Don’t towel dry - you’re just moving the moisture to wherever you put the towel! Buy a Karcher window vac and flush the water

[@henryparrott2447]

Agree 100%good show old man

[@damatolgreen5329]

Good video

[@A.1986.]

People just open the windows 2 times per day for 5 mins and get rid of houseplants 1 or 2 is ok but a house full will destroy the house with mould. Oh and heated fishtanks. Make sure the kitchen and bathroom has extractor fan running when cooking and washing same as tumble dryer if not humidity be off the scale

[@philipo5259]

100% correct.

[@hotdokete]

I suspect our windows weren't fitted with cavity closers,. always getting condensation and mold. Humidity sits around 80 with no interventions, dehumidifier has helped but it's a constant job to try to manage the levels and we;re still wiping the windows after a cold night. (when recaulking around the windows I've taken to using a heatgun, otherwise it takes days to cure. Some filler didn't set at all)

[@simontist]

If the humidity is at 80 I'd say you either have a water leak, or more likely not enough ventilation. Or simply not enough heat.

[@DeeJay003]

You can retro fit some trickle vents in your windows - they may be of some help in reducing the condensation.

[@robertmawby3021]

You definitely need to ventilate your house more. In the morning, open a small window in the bedroom (s). After showering or bath, open a window in the bathroom. It helps if you squeegee the shower walls and tray to get as much water out and down the plug hole. Remember, any water that you leave laying around will eventually evaporate into the air and therefore increase the humidity. The same applies when you are cooking, have your cooker hood running or simply open the kitchen window to let the moisture out. Drying washing indoors is also a source of humidity. Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation is your best friend! 👍

[@hotdokete]

@@robertmawby3021 yeah, thanks, mostly we already do all of that... Also we've been judiciously running a 16L dehumidifier in different rooms as needed. I just wonder if there is a particular cold bridging issue with the windows due to lack of correct cavity closure. Windows weren't fitted by us, other signs of shoddy work have been noted.

[@robertmawby3021]

@@hotdokete Cavities these days are closed with a flexible plastic strip bridging the cavity, making sure that the insulation is right up tight to the closure strip. Before this the cavity was closed by returning the inner leaf wall to meet the external brick leaf, with only a strip of plastic dpc separating the two walls. With later added plastic windows sometimes this vertical dpc gets damaged or even removed. Without proper silicone sealing rainwater can easily get in around the side of the window causing real damp issues. I have removed plastic windows and found nothing between the two walls. I have even seen plaster used to fill the cavity which of course will never stay dry. Maybe you should try removing all of the silicone seal around the window to try to evaluate the situation. You may need to put some builders insulation foam in any gaps around the edges of the window to stop cold bridging. Don’t forget to check the guttering above the window in case it is leaking and water is running down the wall. Even possibly a horizontal drain pipe on the external wall? Do you have cavity walls or solid walls? Do you have rendering or pebbledash on the outside wall?

[@Dino_Buk]

All we need is love.

[@gdfggggg]

I’ve spent the last 15yrs refurbishing Victorian properties for rental. The last thing the landlord wants is moaning about damp/mould issues. 1. Remove source of moisture in the air ie drying clothes inside etc 2. Ventilate rooms 3. Warm up walls ie insulate 4. Tank walls where required It’s a bit more nuanced but that’s a general rule. I put 50mm Celotex on the interior of the exterior walls, and pack lofts with insulation. I know it works as the tenants tell me they rarely have to put the heating on, even in the coldest days. They love it as it has a big impact on their bills 👍🏻

[@johncranna9427]

Never, never,never tank walls - whatever that means. All it does is potentially lock any dampness within a wall and prevent it from escaping. The first three points are exactly right, though.

[@gdfggggg]

@ I disagree, especially in a basement. Very important on chimney breasts. Don’t forget to ventilate the chimney. Tanking all the way.

[@Dino_Buk]

Yes, tanking the walls also destroys the brick and the stone.

[@gdfggggg]

@@Dino_Buk sometimes there is no choice, especially in a basement.

[@johncranna9427]

@Dino_Buk thank you!! The original poster doesn't quite get it!

[@nicholasmale6773]

Hi Roger, sound advice as usual. However, if there is an issue with rising damp, have you any KZbin videos on how to deal with it? Thank you in advance.

[@SkillBuilder]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6PcpaSZf7-GptU

[@nicholasmale6773]

Thank you Roger, very helpful. I've found some of your other videos on adding damp proofing rods that will help too. Brilliant work!

[@johnrodgers2018]

Pro tip, get rid of double glazing and go back to single pane, also take out all your attic insulation. No more condensation, follow me for more tips. 😊

[@squeaky_honda]

22% humidity in my room right now, 27C. I was too lazy to refill the humidifier and unwilling to lower the temp.

[@nicksubishi22]

Open the windows once or twice a day to allow full air exchange through the house, no need to spend money

[@malcolmswiftfoot9881]

Great advice as Always, but, is that a photo of Cassandra from Only Fools on the Front Room fireplace😂😂😂😂

[@Amir-f6o1z]

What action would you take to Reduce humidity levels? Humidity control fan and a dehumidifier?

[@Madmavis]

Hi not sure if you an help but can't seem to get a clear answer. We have a victoriana house and we removed one of the chimney stacks in the roof below roof level. We have had a new roof put on and the outside wall has been treated with the external water repellant seal and it is breatherabl. However internally on the chimneys in the bedroom and Dining room below we are getting water coming through in patches (we have put the emulsion paint that stops mould so no mould appearing) but it is wet not all of it just patches. We have vents on the inside as they are blocked up in the house and the fireplaces removed. Would it help to put vents on the outside? And should we open up and have the chimneys swept? Would this help? We could put in a dehumidifier in each room but not sure what the best solution is and I am getting mixed answers so I am not at a loss and desperate to find a long term solution.

[@petemoring67]

I reckon You were just showing off there Roger 😉 ... Nice House 🤠

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Pete I am very reluctant to use my house for filming and so is my wife who values privacy but it was a quick and easy video to make and for once I could keep my slippers on.

[@viperfifield]

Hi Roger, I got the humidity meter from Amazon, in my lounge it says 16deg and 70%, best thing to do would be to get myself a dehum yeah?!

[@SkillBuilder]

I would leave it for a few weeks and just see what is happening. It seem quite high but try it around the house and see if there are variations.

[@ch5139]

Growing up in the 70’s our house had a two gas fires, one portable electric ‘chimney’ heater (with a red bulb inside), single glazing and no central heating…but my parents knew how to manage a home and although the windows suffered from condensation, which was mopped up daily, there was no sign of mould or dampness anywhere. Sadly this world has turned into a blame culture….always someone else’s fault…council, landlord, builders, materials etc…. Common sense and education has left the building, unlike the humidity.