Professional Condensation Treatment Services
Condensation occurs in almost every property across Scotland, with excess moisture and black mould in buildings being the most common cause of damp. There are various condensation treatments that can deal with the problem no matter how severe it gets.
What Causes Condensation?
Condensation occurs from a combination of poor ventilation and high levels of moisture. When warm air comes into contact with cooler surfaces, the temperature of the warm air drops, the moisture condenses and forms condensation. A good example of this occurring is when taking a shower you will notice the windows steam up first as the surface will be cold compared to the air.
Moisture in the air can come from a variety of sources. Daily life creates a lot of moisture in your home – think breathing, cooking, and washing. Poor airflow traps this moisture, which can lead to damp and mould. The actions that cause condensation are often essential to everyday living and therefore unavoidable, however, improved air ventilation can minimise the impact condensation has on a property. Good ventilation helps this moist air escape, keeping your home healthier.
Common Signs of Condensation
The common signs of condensation include:
- Moisture collecting on the inside of windows or on the window sill
- Moisture collecting on non-absorbent surfaces like tiles
- Black mould growth on walls and skirting boards, especially in north facing rooms
- Rotting and peeling of wall paper
- Mould growing on clothes and other fabrics
- A strong musty smell
Why is Condensation a Problem?
Condensation problems can affect any part of a property but the places it is most commonly noticed are around windows. This may be the first warning sign that a condensation problem exists. Without adequate ventilation, condensation often results in unhealthy living conditions with black mould growth, peeling decorations, damage to fabrics and unpleasant musty damp smells occurring within a property. At its most severe, condensation can even result in permanent damage to plaster and timber.
Black Mould
Black mould growth is a common sign of poor ventilation and excess moisture production in the home.Not only is it unsightly but it can make properties an unpleasant and potentially unhealthy place to live. Breathing in black mould spores can trigger allergies, worsen asthma, and pose more serious risks for the very young, old or those with respiratory problems or weakened immunity.
Black mould grows on surfaces such as paint, plaster and timber when condensation provides suitably damp conditions for the mould to thrive. Fixing the source of the excess moisture can alleviate the problems of condensation and clean up black mould.
Removing black mould, such as around a window, for example, can be wiped away with DIY mould cleaner by following the instructions. Black mould permanently stains surfaces. So a cleaning and bleaching agent will be required to remove all traces. However, in severe circumstances you may require a more extensive clean through a professional.
Cleaning mould will only ever address the surface mould problem, and will not fix the underlying issues causing condensation, such as excess moisture production, lack of heating, ventilation or insulation in the property.
How do you get rid of Condensation?
To effectively get rid of condensation you need to understand issues relating to both ventilation and moisture creation. Controlling the source of moisture forms one part of the condensation treatment process. This includes reducing the amount of moisture build up, for example looking at habits in the home and move to drying clothes outside and the use of extractor fans while cooking.
Improving ventilation can be carried out by simple changes in habit, such as regularly opening windows and trickle vents,or long-term solutions such as PIV Air Ventilation.
Air Ventilation
Sometimes a condensation problem will be severe enough that professional solutions are required. More often than not this will require the installation of some kind of powered ventilation.This can be solutions such as simple extractor fans to more advanced positive input ventilation systems (PIV).
- Positive input ventilation units are air management systems designed to tackle the root cause of a condensation problem. If your home suffers from poor air quality and you are constantly battling condensation and black mould then this could be a long term solution for you.
- A negative pressure ventilation unit is used to re-direct air already within the property to isolated areas or rooms. It works by creating a negative pressure within the isolated room by sucking out all the exhausted air. This clears the path for air to naturally travel to this isolated part of the property.
A trained professional from Wise Property Care will carry out a comprehensive damp survey and provide you with a survey report detailing any issues or problems causing condensation, and recommendations for improvements such as PIV units, ventilation or thermal plastering where necessary.
Professional Condensation Treatment
Condensation issues range from minor cosmetic damage to more serious long term issues. Knowing the right approach is key.
DIY solutions: For light condensation, simple changes can make a big difference. Try opening windows, using extractor fans while cooking or showering, and drying clothes outdoors. Regularly check vents to ensure proper airflow.
Professional diagnosis : Persistent condensation requires expert help. Wise Property Care specialises in identifying and treating condensation issues. Our professional surveyors use their experience and specialised equipment to get to the root cause of the problem and provide recommendations for effective solutions.
Improvements to Ventilation:
When small changes fall short, an improvement to ventilation may be necessary. Our air management systems systems are designed to actively manage airflow and moisture levels, preventing condensation buildup. We offer installation of air ventilation systems tailored to your property’s needs.
Improvements to the Thermal efficiency of a building
For condensation and mould forming on cold spots in a property, thermal improvements can help prevent these issues from occurring. Thin insulating tiles allow walls to be insulated without costly alterations to skirting boards, windows, covings and radiators. This form of treatment meets Building Regulations for use where it is not functionally or technically possible to install thicker insulation systems.
The tiles can be plastered using various base coat plasters to increase impact resistance or simply skim coated to minimise loss of space. Once plastered, this creates a smooth wall surface ready for decoration.
How we Approach Condensation Treatment
Our fully qualified and experienced surveyors and technicians will:
1. Identify the source of the condensation problem
2. Investigate potential ventilation issues
3. Look for any associated damp problems
4. Provide you with a detailed report, backed by physical evidence
5. Recommend the correct treatment for your property, where necessary
5. Our experienced technicians will then carry out any recommended treatment or repairs
6. Ensure your property is left safe and clean
Where applicable and detailed in your report, Wise Property Care will back condensation treatments with a 20 year property care guarantee, giving you complete peace of mind for the future.
Contact Us for Condensation Treatment
If you suspect your property may require condensation treatment call Wise Property Care today to speak to an expert and arrange a property survey
FAQs about Condensation
Below are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding condensation.
How to spot the difference between condensation and damp?
There are three main types of damp issues to look out for – rising damp, penetrating damp and damp arising from a condensation problem.
Common tell tale signs of rising damp will be the salt ‘tidemarks’ it leaves on your walls, up to one metre above the skirting boards.
Penetrating damp would indicate either defects in the building or plumbing leading to water ingress, or in below ground spaces where the ground level is higher than the internal walls.
A common sign of a condensation problem is water collecting on the inside of windows. You may not notice condensation until mould forms on surfaces or your wallpaper starts to peel.
How to avoid condensation?
Firstly, condensation is caused through poor ventilation in our homes and excess moisture. If you ensure that any moisture you add to your home’s atmosphere through activities such as cooking, showering & drying clothes has an escape route through an open window, extractor fan or trickle vents then you can avoid condensation.
Does condensation paint really work?
On the DIY market, there are a variety of paints and solutions available to tackle condensation. Different anti-condensation paints work in different ways. The most common is for an anti-fungal additive to be mixed in the paint. This prevents mould growth, but does not stop condensation forming.
However, at Wise Property Care, it has been our experience that mould/condensation paint only goes so far – and should be used in conjunction with other solutions to address the underlying issues causing condensation.
The anti-condensation paint we supply works very differently by utilising Glass Microsphere technology. In short, the glass microspheres and paint act as a thermal break between the cold outside wall and the warmer temperature within your home, resulting in the surface remaining above the temperature at which condensation forms.. Unless there are improvements to the excess moisture, the anti-condensation paint won’t be a long term fix.
Contact The Condensation Experts
If you suspect that you need condensation treatment in your property then call us today to arrange a condensation survey. Alternatively, you can ask a question online using our contact form for help and advice from our condensation experts.
