Help with condensation and mould

Causes of mould

Mould happens when warm, moist air touches a colder surface in your home. This can get worse in cold weather, as your home is warmer inside and the outside air is colder.  Where condensation regularly builds up, mould will grow. 

If you're a Bromford customer and you're worried about paying for essentials, please talk to us. Condensation is the most common thing that causes mould to grow inside a home.

A damp wall or floor can also cause mould. There are two common types of dampness in buildings.

• Rising damp. This is when moisture rises up from the ground into the walls or floor of your home. It can be caused by damage to the damp-proof course
• Penetrating damp. This is when moisture enters your home through the outside walls. It can be caused by things like a leaking gutter

What you can do

Your home must have enough airflow to replace the moisture in the air with fresh, less humid air. Normally, turning on extractor fans, leaving your window vents open or opening some windows for a few minutes daily will prevent condensation and mould growth. 

Take a look at this video

To reduce condensation:

• dry clothes outside or use a vented tumble dryer
• do not dry your washing on radiators
• if drying clothes indoors, choose a warm room and open a window
• keep pans covered when cooking
• open a window or use an extractor fan when cooking or showering 
• shut your internal doors when cooking or showering 
• leave a gap between your furniture and external walls (this helps the air circulate) 
• keep a low temperature of above 15 degrees in all rooms in your house (this will also save money on your heating bills) 
• do not use paraffin and portable gas heaters
• do not overfill cupboards so air can circulate 

Check for issues that could cause damp

• are there any potential roof leaks?
• are your gutters blocked or cracked?
• is there a leak from an internal or external pipe? 
• is the ground level outside your home above your damp course? 
• are your drains blocked? ​

Treating mould

There are things you can try to treat the mould. However, without stopping the condensation, the mould is likely to return.

• wipe the affected area with water and a cloth 
• use a mould remover and treatment (we recommend using a recognised brand) 
• do not use washing up liquid as a source to clean 
• wash or dry-clean any clothes that have been near mould to stop it from spreading  
• shampoo any carpets that have damp or mould on them 
• you may need to re-decorate any affected areas (use a good anti-fungal paint which will help stop the mould from returning) 
• use a mould remover and mould treatment (you can buy these in hardware shops)  

Contacting us

If you have tried these steps and there is still damp and mould, please get in touch with us.

We will work with you to see if there is anything else you can try. If not, we will arrange a survey of your home to identify any actions that need to be taken.