With the cold comes mould

With winter comes the dreaded condensation affecting walls, ceilings and even floors. If you have noticed condensation causing mould to grow on surfaces, now is the time to take steps to prevent it this winter so that your family can breathe easy and be healthy.

First of all what is condensation? In simple terms it occurs when warm moist air meets a cold surface.

It’s mostly a winter issue as the home becomes cold and windows are opened less, therefore leaving this moist air unable to escape.

But when mould growth occurs, it’s a warning sign that the home’s heating, insulation and ventilation may need improving.

A lot of this can be seen in bathrooms and kitchens due to the nature of what those rooms are used for, as well in bedrooms, inside cupboards and even corners of rooms where ventilation and air movement are restricted.

To help prevent moist air from spreading to other rooms, provide some ventilation to all rooms so it can escape, and keep your home reasonably warm.

Good ventilation of kitchens when you are cooking is essential, as is in the space you are drying clothes indoors.

Use your extractor fan if one is available and leave on until any misting on windows has cleared.

If your home does not have an extractor fan, open windows but close doors to other rooms. In bathrooms keep the window open and door shut for the time required to dry off the room.

Remember, too much ventilation in cold weather can waste the heat you are trying to generate indoors.

So be mindful of how wide you open the windows and for how long.

If you notice black mould already in your home, clean it with bleach and anti-fungacide solution.

Any sign of mould growth is an indication of the presence of moisture and if caused by condensation provides a warning that heating, insulation or ventilation - or all three - may require improvement.

Did you know?

• If your hot water cylinder is old, keep the heat in by using a hot water cylinder wrap. These are available from hardware stores.

• Make sure the thermostat is set to produce a temperature of 55C at the tap (this will also prevent scalds).

• Fix dripping taps. A dripping hot tap can cost $80 a year but a washer to fix it costs less than $1!