03 December 2023 , 05:00
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As the cold winter weather settles in, it's important to keep an eye out for issues in the home.
Condensation is common during the colder months, and can appear until the weather warms up in spring (if we're lucky). Of course, small amounts of condensation in the house is normal, but if the cautionary signs are ignored - bigger issues like black mould could start to grow.
This can cause a whole host of health issues such as respiratory infections and asthma, especially for babies and young children. Removing mould can also be expensive if left to spread - although home improvement grants are given out for those struggling to fork out the cost.
Property experts at Richardson and Starling - one of Scotland's biggest building preservation companies - have urged homeowners to look for 'water droplets gathering on windows'. This is because consistent moisture on the windows can flag high moisture levels in the house, as well as poor ventilation.
The pros suggest improving ventilation in your home when you spot this warning sign. Adding insulation to outside-facing walls can also help.
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Opening a window and letting the stuffy air escape is often the way most people deal with condensation. However, with soaring energy costs and frosty winter temperatures, this can lead to extortionate heating bills and unpleasantly cold rooms.
One social media went viral after sharing a popular German technique called 'Stosslüften', or 'shock ventilation'. This involves opening several windows for a short period of time to create a draft.
"Open several windows all over the house for three minutes, creating a strong draft to exchange most of the warm humid air inside the house with cold air from outside," the Reddit user wrote. "A cool feature about cold air is that it can 'hold' less water vapour. If this relatively dry cold air enters your house, it warms up. Being warmer, it is suddenly capable of taking up some of the extra humidity from inside your house."
If you're struggling to get rid of mould in your house, you can check the Citizens Advice for help.
How do you keep condensation at bay? Let us know your handy tips in the comments section below