Condensation/Damp help

[ThatsBullshirt]

This is our fourth winter in our house and every year I struggle to get on top of the issue of condensation and damp as the weather cools down. Our windows are often covered in condensation in the morning, despite leaving trickle vents open and closing curtains as it starts to get dark. I've even found a small patch of condensation on the ceiling of one of our bedrooms tonight.

I clean the condensation from the windows at least once a day with a karcher window vac and wipe down any other condensation I can find. I try to open the windows upstairs for at least 20minutes once everyone is out the house for work/school. Downstairs I open the window when cooking etc. I've also gotten rid of damp/mold when I have found it with an anti mould spray then anti mold paint which often does the trick for a good while but then I find a new bit somewhere else and the cycle begins again!

I know that a big problem is drying washing indoors but with energy bills I can't afford to run the tumble dryer multiple times a week. As it is staying on top of the washing is a big enough headache in winter! And we don't want/need the heating on too much. We tend to have it on for a half hour in the morning and half hour in the evening for the kids' bedtime routine.

Can anyone give me some tips on how to prevent the condensation? What can I do? Should I be opening the windows for a considerable amount of time every day?

How old is your house?
Ultimately yes ventilation is key. You can look at PIV systems.

Dehumidifier’s are pretty much the only option. The bonus being they will also dry your washing quicker and cheaper than a tumbly. Out flat was like that but after running it on full for while we dried the place out and then only needed to run it when drying washing. Along with opening windows when you can etc.

You do need heating and ventilation to get on top of mould and condensation. If you are drying clothes, I'd recommend a dehumidifier. I always use one in winter. I also use it in the morning as I get condensation on my bedroom window.

I think every house is different but we had such bad issues at one point we had water dripping down our upstairs light fittings. Yep really that bad. We had air vents put in the roof and we now have the windows open all day everyday from when we get up till about 4pm when we then put the heating on for 3 hours. We still have wetness round the windows in the morning but the damp / major issues have stopped completely. We are cold a lot though!

We use a dehumidifier, if cost about £90. I use it mainly cothes drying and steam ironing. No damp here

We get condensation on the window panes. It’s winter so I expect it.

Do you have your bedroom windows open at night? We always do usually except a few nights this week, we seemed to forget. The windows were covered in condensation whereas they never are if the windows are left open while we sleep.

You absolutely mustn't dry laundry indoors without a dehumidifier.

I read somewhere that a bowl of salt on each windowsill can help with condensation but I wouldn't do it if I had toddlers in the house (poisoning).

We had a remcon unit fitted in the end. Every morning there were puddles if water on all the window sills, water used to run down the living room wall under the bay window and mould on all the bedroom ceilings. It is amazing! It circulates air from the loft into the house so air is constantly moving. We have minimal condensation on windows no and no mould. We do still have a dehumidifier on where the washing is drying. It’s obviously running on the electric but is cheap to run (don’t know exact figures). Only bad point is it’s noisy but you do get used to it.

I think our house is 1950s or 60s, ex-council.

We've got small children so the house would be very cold for them if we were to leave the windows open overnight.

To those saying use a dehumidifier, where do you place it to help the whole house or do I have to go room by room? Our issues are upstairs mostly in two of our three bedrooms but we dry our washing downstairs (there's no where else for it!)

Get a dehumidifier they are really good for moisture problems and you'll be amazed by how much water they suck out of a room.

Place it in the problem rooms op for a while each day until the condensation on the windows has stopped. and then use it next to wet washing every time it's out and then maybe use it in each room and just alternate it around the whole house .

We have not turned on the gas boiler this year. Not at all. Our windows were running with water. We bought a dehumidifier and it's so effective. I must empty it several times in 24 hours and it's always full. Our house is now at 50% humidity from 81% when it arrived.

Washing dries in a day and it's very cheap to run. I can recommend it.

Dehumidifier on the landing with the bedroom doors left open.

Totally depends on the house. We have always dried washing inside with no dehumidifier and have no issues at all.

Ours is a 1950s ex council semi, we had awful condensation and damp; we invested in a meaco dehumidifier it was about £180 form Argos, it has honestly been a godsend! It completely sucks out all the moisture in the air and turns itself off once it’s full/the desired humidity has been reached. Our main problem was the living room so used it in there to ‘dry out’ first now just keep it in the hall, you can get larger ones to use for the whole house

I agree it does depend on house (size) how many people live there . I dry laundry at the top of my stairs with no issues whatsoever . I do leave all the doors open upstairs though so helps circulate air .

To clarify, I meant that OP (or indeed anyone with a condensation problem) shouldn't dry laundry indoors without a dehumidifier. I didn't mean no one should, ever! But I'd be v nervous about doing it, myself, given that my house has condensation issues and sometimes mould

The kids will probably be warm enough if they have warm duvets on. We had no heating at all one winter when our kids were little and it is surprisingly warm once you are in bed. You could always get electric blankets? I always sleep better in a cold room.

With the windows closed while you do this

We've put those little cheap ones on the windowsills upstairs and it's reduced the condensation massively.
Also opening the windows every day for 15 ministers when it's dry, and keeping the bathroom door closed.

We've used the disposable ones you put on the window sill before but they didn't do much to be honest. And we do open the windows every morning for at least 20 minutes when it's dry and will continue to do so!

They do have warm duvets and extra blankets in case they get too cold/too hot in the summer but I still won't keep my windows open overnight. It would be too cold for me, never mind them! And I sleep horribly when I'm cold. In the summer the windows stay open (in a locked position) from about may to late August but I just couldn't keep them open overnight in the winter!

I've just bought two larger ones that you refill which had good reviews. I found that the advice online contradicted it self - open windows/ close windows and open only if dry/ leave them open at night etc
So I decided to use the ones that seemed to be common sense. Clearing the window sills has been helpful.