It's #mouldvember

What causes mould in homes?

Mould very often starts with condensation, and the two go hand in hand. The lack of or ineffective ventilation in a home is almost always linked to both of these issues.  Low levels of heating as well as leaks can also be contributing factors. 

Mould can be found anywhere around the house. Common rooms such as bathrooms, kitchen or utility? These are the most common places for mould to grow because they are commonly warm with steam, and this turns into moisture very quickly without sufficient ventilation. Especially during the colder months, condensation is easily formed (the steam from your hot shower meets the cold window in your bathroom because it isn't being efficiently removed by ventilation, it then turns into water (condensation) and from here the mould can grow).

Mould can grow on almost any surface which is why we see it throughout our home.

What Impact Does Mould Have On My Health?

The seriousness of mould on our health should not be underestimated, it impacts both our phsyical and mental health, and after long periods of time can cause irrevsable damage.

Physical health - living with mould can cause symtoms such as coughing, sneezing, respiratory infections, skin and eye irritation, and can dramatically worsen allergies such as asthma.

Mental health - living with mould is emotionally tough, it can cause insomnia, brain fog, trouble concentrating and has been linked to more serious conditions such as anxiety and depression. Living with mould can cause feelings of worry, stress and sadness and trying to fix and repair the damage of mould can cause financial stress and worry for many.

What Are The Solutions?

Tackling mould and condensation can be difficult but there are solutions, the best solution for mould is proper ventilation. Ventilation removes the excess humidity and moisture from the air which prevents condensation and therefore, mould. There are many different ventilation systems to choose from depending on your home, ventilation requirements and budget ranging from bathroom/kitchen fans all the way to whole house ventilation systems (MVHR).

Find out more about the different types of ventilation systems we offer.

There are a few temporary things you can do to tackle some of the issues that may be causing mould in your home, they will not treat the mould, but they are some short-term inexpensive fixes.

Dehumidifiers - If specific rooms are struggling with mould, a dehumidifier can temporarily remove the excess moisture to dry it our and preventing it from getting worse or spreading

Tackling insufficient heating - This is one of the reasons we experience mould and condensation, in current times we know it isn't possible for everyone to turn their heating up, but there are a few things you can do to improve your heating efficiency. Seal any possible draughts (around window seals, doors, etc...), bleed your radiators, move any furniture away form radiators to prevent heat absoprtion, insulated your boiler/pipes with either sleeves or foam tubes (which can be purchased from any hardware/DIY shop).

Fix leaks - Any leaks caused by cracks, missing roof tiles or broken gutters can often be easily repaired and is fairy inexpensive to do, this will stop water entering your home.

What If I'm Renting?

Over half of privately rented properties experience damp and mould issues, and it can be challenging to navigate this with your landlord or agent, but it's important you know what your landlord is legally responsible for.

Your landlord is legally responsible for fixing; structual problems/faulty installation, no or insuffucient ventilation, internal pipes and leaks, broken pipes, gutters and missing roof times. Rotten window seals and frames and broken boilers and heating problems also all fall under your landlords responsibility.

We always recommend keeping photo evidence of any mould or damp issues and inform your landlord/agent immediately to arrange a solution. If you do not receive any response or your landlord is not willing to fix the issue, you can consult Environmental Health and ask for an insppection. If you are struggling and looking for more advice, please see SHELTER'S or Gov.uk website for more information.

Is There Legislation In Place To Protect me?

Yes, as of July 2023 a new law called 'Awaab's Law' has been approved and applies to Social Housing (Regulation) and protects tenants of social housing properties against living in dangerous conditions such as mould, damp and excess cold. The law has been introduced in memory of Awaab Ishak, a 2 year old boy who passed away in December 2020 due to 'extensive' mould.

The law has been put into place to enforce social landlords to deal with damp and mould problems within scrict time frames to prevent harm to health. The enforcement of this law will change the lives of millions across the UK as Hosuing and Communities Michael Gove has stated:

"Those landlords who continue to drag their feet over dangerous damp and mould will face the full force of the law"

For more information on mould and social housing, and Awaab's law we recommend the Gov webiste.

So What Have We Learnt From This?

#Mouldvember is a month for change, and The Air Shop's mission is to help provide a healthy indoor air quality for everyone, as it is a big part of hour life and health. We are raising awareness for the seriousness of living in unhealthy and toxic conditions, for more advice and information follow us on instagram @theairshop uk. If you already have a MVHR Heat Recovery Ventilation system we have some offers available.