Many homes are recovering from recent flooding and the resulting humidity caused can result in many problems for your health and for the fabric of your home. Humidity levels are the amount of saturated moisture in the air in each room and a sure sign will be mould or mildew developing on the walls, especially at floor level and in cold corners. But do not worry, you can get rid of it and this article will explain the causes, the effects that it can have, and how to get rid of it.
Use of electric heating units to dry wet surfaces, flooring and interiors, but this can be counter-productive if dedicated drying equipment is not simultaneously used.
How to counteract such dampness problem?
TIP: The recommended ambient level of humidity in your home should be between 40 and 60% humidity. More than 60% of moisture can be dangerous for your health. (https://share.upmc.com/2014/06/effects-humidity-body/ )
Humidity Factors
As well as the obvious flood water damage, moisture is generated in every room with the normal activities of cooking, boiling the kettle, washing clothes, taking a shower and washing dishes. All of these create steam, which is condensed water floating in the air. As it cools down, it will turn back from steam into water and will settle on anything causing moisture to be present.
Bad weather with cold temperatures outside and warm heated rooms inside, closed windows and no ventilation can quickly give you humidity problems.
Here are some reasons:
1. Capillary rise
This is the water present at the bottom of the walls of the house which rises by capillary action through the masonry, Water moves into the pores of a wall by capillary action. It is a very difficult problem that requires the intervention of a specialist. Old houses without a damp-proof course are especially at risk of this which is popularly known as ‘Rising Damp’.
2. Infiltration by the facade
Cracks in the outside facade of a building can be the cause of water infiltration directly into walls, windows, and doors of the house. If the outside screeding is cement or non-porous paint, the moisture cannot then escape to the outside and will enter the inside of the house, causing moisture stains on the walls.
3. Roof leaks
Roof leaks are an obvious hazard, often caused by blocked guttering or broken tiles. The water can seep into a wall, and then circulate inside the flooring before becoming visible. Keep all gutters cleaned regularly and inspected for any damage.
4. Cold walls and condensation
The exterior walls of the old properties are always cold. The hot air inside meets the cold air and turns into condensation on walls and on windows. This is a huge problem for mould and mildew, causing homeowners to turn up the heating to try to dry the moisture, but this will only double the problem. Air laden with water will be much more difficult to heat than dry air, leading to much greater consumption of heating.
Moisture control is the answer.
- Insufficient insulation will prevent you from properly heating your home and the rooms will be poorly ventilated leading to mould growth. Insulating the walls, the roof, the floors, the attic and adding double glazing will help to resolve this problem. Good insulation is very effective against moisture and heat loss.
- Correct ventilation will prevent moisture, allowing moisture to evacuate and giving a better air quality for healthy breathing.
- Heating your home properly will also fight against moisture. The first step will be to choose the most suitable heating system for your home.
- Switch on the cooker hood extractor and the bathroom fan to remove moisture-filled steam as soon as possible.
- Dehumidifiers are vital. This simple appliance will remove moisture from the air, allowing your heating system to be more effective and use less energy to heat your home.
- No bathroom fan or cooker extractor? Then just open a window to remove the steam. It will then be easier to heat your home once this moisture is gone.
- Use a smart heating control and programmed thermostat to optimise the background temperature 14 to 16 degrees Celsius, to prevent extreme cold.
Preventing Humidity with Electric Heating.
To prevent humidity it is better to use a heat source that will not add moisture to the air, such as Radiant-type electric heaters that will limit the sensation of convection and create less inconvenience related to the quality of the air. Ideally, the thermostat in a home should be set between 20 and 21 degrees Celsius, this is optimal in terms of comfort and energy cost, however, this won’t produce truly comfortable results if humidity levels rise over 60 per cent.
Every IntelliHeat electric radiator has its own fully controllable thermostat which gives the ability to program heat for any room for any time of day. Heating that is radiant and can effectively reduce areas of moisture in the home. Why not look at our full electric radiators and towel rails radiators range and then call us for a completely FREE heat calculation and guide to the correct sizes of radiators you need for each room.
Should you prefer a more direct approach with our heating consultants, we are only a phone call away:Phone: 0203 916 0000
