THIS MONTH’S NEWS FROM THE ESTATE COMES FROM MISERDEN’S MAINTENANCE TEAM
As we move into autumn and the changing season bring cooler, wetter weather many homes start to see more moisture on windows and walls. A little is normal, but if it’s left unchecked it can lead to black mould which damages paintwork, furnishings and clothes, and it can affect your health in severe cases. The good news is that most of it can be prevented with a few simple habits.
The most common cause is condensation. This happens when warm, moist air from cooking, showers, drying clothes indoors, or even moisture we naturally breathe out overnight meets a cold window or outside wall and turns back into water. It is usually worst in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms on external walls – where surfaces stay damp, black mould soon follows. Moisture can also soak through the building itself, most commonly if the ground level outside is higher than the floor level inside, or if there is a leak from the roof or gutters.
To keep condensation down, put lids on pans, dry washing outside where you can, and use extractor fans when cooking or bathing. Keep vents open, air rooms briefly each morning, keep a steady low heat on in cold weather, and wipe water off windows each day with an absorbent cloth.
You can clean small spots of mould with a household mould remover. Don’t paint over mould, though, because it grows back through.
If you find that even with these prevention methods, you are still experiencing any of the following, it is best to get it checked by an expert.
- Mould that keeps coming back, or covers more than a small area
- Damp patches that appear or grow after rain
- A tide mark or crumbling plaster low down on walls
- Leaking gutters, downpipes, roofs or plumbing
- Extractor fans, trickle vents or heating that aren’t working
- Condensation you can’t control despite following the steps above
If you live on the Estate, please contact the Miserden Estate office as soon as you notice any of the above. Reporting early gives us the best chance of resolving the issue before it gets too serious. Call us on 01285 821303 or email estate.office@miserden.org.