Combat Dampness by Opening Windows
Regularly opening windows several times a day is a straightforward and effective strategy to combat dampness. This practice encourages the exchange of stale, moist indoor air with fresh, outdoor air, significantly improving ventilation and reducing humidity.
Enhancing Airflow and Reducing Humidity
Enhanced airflow aids in dissipating accumulated moisture, which is often the result of everyday activities like cooking, showering and drying clothes indoors. By allowing fresh air to circulate, you not only prevent the build-up of condensation on windows and walls but also discourage the growth of mould and mildew, which thrive in damp environments.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
This habit can improve indoor air quality, making your home healthier and more comfortable to live in.
The Drawbacks of Indoor Air Drying
Air drying wet clothes indoors might seem like a convenient and cost-effective solution, especially in regions where the weather is not sunny enough for air drying your washing outside.
Contributing to Indoor Dampness
This practice can contribute significantly to indoor dampness and elevate humidity levels within your home. As clothes dry, the moisture they release into the air increases the overall humidity, creating an ideal breeding ground for mould and mildew to thrive.
Alternative Drying Solutions
Investing in a dehumidifier can significantly reduce indoor humidity levels, or using a well-ventilated room or an extractor fan can also help dissipate moisture effectively. For those with outdoor space, drying clothes outside on a line not only minimises humidity indoors but also uses the natural disinfecting properties of sunlight.
Cooking Practices to Prevent Dampness
Covering pots while boiling water on the stove and utilising the range hood extractor fan are simple yet effective practices to prevent contributing to a damp home environment.
Minimising Indoor Humidity from Cooking
When you boil water uncovered, steam escapes into the kitchen and disperses throughout your home, significantly increasing indoor humidity levels. This excess moisture can settle on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces, fostering the growth of mould and mildew, which can damage your home and negatively impact indoor air quality.
Efficient Kitchen Practices
By simply covering your pots, you can minimise the release of the steam, reducing indoor humidity. Additionally, turning on the range hood extractor fan helps to actively remove moisture-laden air from your kitchen, further aiding in keeping your home dry.
Managing Humidity with Indoor Plants
Over-watering indoor plants is a less obvious yet significant contributor to dampness within a home.
The Impact of Over-Watering
Each time plants are watered more than they require, the excess water either drains out of the bottom of the pots or evaporates into the air, increasing the indoor humidity levels. This might seem negligible on a case-by-case basis, but when multiple plants are consistently over-watered, the cumulative effect can be substantial.
Optimising Plant Watering
By understanding the specific water needs of their indoor plants and avoiding the tendency to over-water, homeowners can maintain healthier humidity levels, contributing to a drier, more comfortable, and healthier living environment.
