Big condensation problem in front room. Mildew keeps coming back. What can I do??

[PollySyndeton]

I'm really at the end of my rope with the fucking mildew!!

We live in a period property, no cavity wall insulation and only single glaze windows with terrible 70s secondary glazing that does naff all.

Basically we need to replace the windows but simply cannot afford it at the moment. We've tried opening windows, keeping the heating on and physically wiping down the walls and windows with towels to wick the moisture away. We've also got those dehumidifier thingys in all the corners. Nothing seems to have worked.

What am I doing wrong? Does anyone have any tips on how to stop or at least minimise the condensation and mould? It's so grim and I'm so fed up with it.

SOunds like you need a proper dehumidifier, an electric one I mean, as it's amazing the amount of water they extract from the air. Also buy a cheap hygrometer from ebay for £5 or so, tells you the humidity which should not be above 55 or so. We have one in the utility room which is next to the kitchen, and keep an eye on it when cooking, washing etc and put the dehumidifier on accordingly. Re your windows, have you tried looking to see if any grants are available to replace them?

I've held off buying an electric dehumidifier because I thought it'd be really expensive to run it? Do they eat electricity?

Never heard of a hygrometer! Will definitely get one of those.

We have (and it's not a cure all) a window vac, which I use every morning when the windows need it.

This is on top of the dehumidifier, opening windows etc but it has made a difference as the liquid off the windows is poured away (we used to wipe with towels but then they would dry on the radiators and the humidity would just go back into the room). We still get the odd bit of mould but nowhere near as much.

Is your dehumidifier big enough for the room?

Ah I misread, yes an electric dehumidifier is a must

We have an electric dehumidifier as I to got sick of doing the windows every morning and cleaning of mildew one a week.

The dehumidifier costs about 23p per hour, and air 70p per day for us for the hours are use it for. Well worth it in my opinion. It also does our clothes on that time and keeps the house warmer we hardly have the heating on (dry air is warmer than wet air)

That's helpful, thanks. Not as expensive as I thought. Although with the heating cranked 24/7 right now, we're shelling out one way or another anyway.

Maybe also get one of those Karcher Vacs (I got one for £25 and can hoover the condensation off windows now and get rid of the water quicker

You should check whether you have pointing which needs repairing or replacing and whether the gutters are overflowing. You may have water ingress which no amount of extracting moisture from the air will fix.

Make sure you don't have any furniture on outside walls, don't dry washing inside, open windows, keep bedroom doors open at night or allow circulation and maybe fit a vent? I have this exact same problem

New windows won't fix condensation, you need to address the source. Could you have a leak? Do you dry washing indoors? Is the room properly ventilated?

And in the mean time use Dettol mould removal spray (green bottle). It smells strongly of bleach but does the job and the mildew takes a lot longer to come back.

Second the detail mildew remover we use that in out front wall.
We got a dehumidifier off gumtree for twenty quid which has an inbuilt hygrometer which you can set limits for. It switches itself on automatically when it hits 50 and works a treat. Definately helped.
Regarding the Windows, out mildew got worse once we put new windows in! So it's not a guarantee that it'll sort the issue out at all

Karcher window vac saved my sanity. Windows are shit, might as well be single glazed for what use they are. I also use it on the painted walls around my bedroom window.
The problem is that if your heating is on high due to the shitty windows then the hot air hitting the cold, insulated walls won't stop causing condensation.

lots of good tios here for me

I can't recommend the dimplex dehumidifier enough!! You can also use them to dry clothes and you use less heating so they are quiet cost efficient! Can your windows be kept on a latch? Even keeping one window cracked open slightly overnight reduces the amount of condensation.

Wheredo you think the water is coming from? A leak, in roof or plumbing? Wet washing draped indoors?

Ah, I see Olivia already asked.

My dehumidifier is rated 200 watts, which is not bad at all. It's a deLonghi, bought from John Lewis which gives a longer guarantee. It was about £100 a couple of years ago, and absolutely worth it.

FOrgot to say that a dehumidifier also has a warming effect as the air is drier, so although you're paying to run it, you might be able to turn down your heating a bit to offset it.

We get condensation. Use the karcher etc. Ive tried opening windows but condensation only reduces to about 75%.

I dont think we have any leaks /i checked there were no overflowing gutters. We dont try clothes indoors

What we do have is a gas hob and previously no vented extractor. So we vented the cooker hood one outside and thats helped a little.

We have new double glazing (5yo). But it has no inbuild vents so we know we need to install those.

We dont like sleeping in a room above 21, ideally less than 18 and find that by morning the room has cooled further. However even starting at higher temperatures the heat has gone anyway.

I find the condensation mainly forms upstairs, where people are sleeping, but also that say b&q windows and wickes patio doors dont get condensation but the other windows we installed do. Im not sure if this is lower quality/installation somehow. In that one is keeping the window warmer.
The heating being on seems to cause more condensation