Damp and illness

[mollydol]

We bought an old house a few years ago. Didn't realise at the time the extent of the work that needed doing. Something I've noticed as the weather has turned is the massive amount of condensation we get on the windows in the morning, literally wet through on the inside and sometimes droplets above the window too.

I wipe them every morning and have just got a dehumidifier for dc bedroom. But really we need new windows and will look at this as soon as budgets allow. I'm worried as dc have had a lot of coughs since September and while I know it's bug season I'm also concerned that sleeping in a room like this is bad for their health. Mould accumulates quickly on the inside of the window fittings. I clean it regularly but it keeps happening.

The walls themselves don't seem damp, it's mostly the windows. Does anyone have any tips?

Do you open the windows for a short time every day? If they don't have trickle vents you can have them put in which is a lot cheaper than new windows.

I'd persevere with the dehumidifier for a few days before making any decisions. Is it an electric dehumidifier? Is it large capacity? Is it large enough for the whole house?
I've always put my dehumidifier in the hallway upstairs with all of the doors open so it helps throughout upstairs.
A dehumidifier should help with the condensation.

Sorry, should have added that the dehumidifier will also help prevent the mould getting worse.
They can prevent mould but AFAIK once you have mould, it will need to be treated to remove it.
You need to open trickle vents, reduce drying washing indoors, put lids on pans of food, open windows for a short space of time after showering.

Yes it's electric and fairly large. We only got it a few days ago and had it on in ds bedroom (this is the coldest room as it doesn't get the sun) and I was shocked at how much water was in it after just a few hours.

I'm just worried it could be affecting my dc health.

Are the windows single glazed? Ours were when we moved in. Changing to double glazing made a huge difference.

The mould could very well cause health issues, but the dehumidifier sounds like it is doing a great job of tackling the damp.
You will need to treat any mould you have and keep the dehumidifier on to prevent any further mould and damp.

I'm not actually sure. I think they are pretty old and the seals on them seem quite crap. Could moisture and a small amount of mould cause illness? They just seem to have had coughs a lot since the weather turned.

I use mould spray which I think is bleach based to wipe the mould off with anti bacterial wipes.

When you start using a dehumidifier it takes a while for it to catch up with the backlog of humidity, if that makes sense. Run it in as many rooms as possible or - as a pp suggested - put it on the upstairs landing with all the doors open for max coverage. Over time you’ll find that it reaches the max you set for it more quickly. Then you just need to run it daily till it reaches that level.

Will a few hours be enough or does it need it to be on constantly.

I run mine constantly til it gets to the max humidity of the range you’ve set.

Also be aware that stuff like cooking and showering creates moisture in the house. If possible do both with doors closed and windows open to air them.

It's not the windows that are the issue. They just happen to be the coldest thing for water vapour to condense on.

What is the construction of the property?

Identifying the reason for the excess water is your first task.

Do you dry laundry indoors?

Do you have an extractor fan in the bathroom?

Could there be a leak?

Do you open windows daily?

PIV - game changer

Do you know what the humidity level is in the room?

I only know PIV as penis in vagina - I'm sure you mean something else, but I would have thought it would make the damp worse to be honest

@SquishyGloopyBum that’s made me howl.

postive input vent I think it is though you’re is much better.

no mould or concerns. Few hundred to buy and install but genuine Pennies a month to run.

The first day we turned it on it said the humidity level was 85! It's down to about 60 now.

Dehumidifiers are fairly expensive to run, but are very effective. Opening windows makes a huge difference. If you open all windows fully for about 10 minutes a day it can get rid of a lot of moisture, and the dehumidifier can do the rest. Most of the heat in the home is stored in the walls, not the air, so you don't lose as much heat as you might think.

Window vacuums are excellent. The cheap one from Lidl or aldi is fine (a d has a 3yr guarantee usually).

The you can tip the water away,r ather than collect it on a cloth, only for it to dry off and evaporate to then land again on the.... window.

We have the karcher window vac, it's great. Use it every morning in the bedrooms. I probably need to tackle any mould more thoroughly as a first priority and hope the dehumidifier does the rest.

I live in an old house. We run the central heating on 30 degrees 24 hours a day at this time of year and have all the fires lit. I keep bedroom windows ever so slightly cracked.

Yes it’s expensive but I just don’t care. My health is far more important than money.

I got this for my sons room, it lives on his windowsill and that alongside keeping his window cracked open has pretty much stopped the huge issue with condensation he.had. His is the worst room as its only all plus has 2 external walls.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Duronic-Eco-Efficient-Dehumidifier-DH06-Capacity/dp/B0CKT7X7VS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2T5KG153NNUWI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tUKbgbmfTQWHgOngrIwaRw1LNxze6HpPWFw9TTftCac6TcpheD_YCu78df73MAaNzNGX5hUvlJQnWdevF71zOaI7CbvIqossKYFwBGnFysSYs4Mu6fUNHGjpLJY2SmejFHRzVNQjI3h9K6RwJLBErH0KvAI9YSYFlZOaLbCVqrDQEc3oqgvuM6HIaKQSrAS3pWykXEClZju7BPETocLDaA.A_8NdKpxC5nSxY6tqQlCPpdMCwaurbl-0dZsxm-U4qA&dib_tag=se&keywords=mini+dehumidifier&qid=1732314737&sprefix=mini+dehum%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3]]