I have a damp and mould issue

1. What you need to know about damp and mould

You may have seen news stories and social media posts showing people in council homes living with very bad damp and mould. Some of the pictures and new articles are upsetting and living conditions like these should not be happening. The Regulator of Social Housing has told all councils to check how they deal with damp and mould problems to make sure homes are safe.

We agree that even one home in these conditions is one too many so we have updated our rules and ways of working so we can:

Fix problems quickly when you report them or we find them.

Work hard to stop them from happening in the first place.

Here’s what we’re doing:

We are making sure our staff are fully trained so they know what causes damp and mould, and how to help you.

Hiring a specialist who can check for damp and mould, and making sure repairs are done as quickly as possible.

Looking back at past cases to see which homes are at higher risk and thinking about what we can do to treat or prevent damp and mould.

Checking empty homes for any signs of damp or mould.

2. How you can help

If you see damp or mould in your home, tell us straight away. You can report any concerns to us at repairs@eastdevon.gov.uk or fill out the “Report a Repair” form. Damp and mould are not just ugly, they can make you ill, especially if you have children or health problems like asthma so its really important to let us know quickly. Damp and mould can also mean there’s a serious problem in your home that needs fixing quickly.

If it’s only a small patch, you can clean it with the right cleaning product but make sure you still let us know. Damp could be a sign of something bigger, like a water leak, a roof problem, or rising damp from the ground and we will need to check this out.

Even if it’s not serious, we can tell you how to clean it safely and give you a leaflet with hints and tips to stop it coming back. We’ll also call you in 3 months to check it’s gone.

If the mould is worse and needs treating, our repair contractor, Ian Williams, will visit within 5 working days to do a mould wash. We’ll also arrange a damp survey to find the cause, for example, poor insulation, a broken ventilation system, or water coming in from outside.

3. What causes condensation

Condensation happens when water droplets form on cold surfaces, like windows or walls. There are four main reasons this can happen:

Too much moisture in your home?– Things like cooking, showering, and drying clothes indoors add water to the air.
Not enough fresh air?– If your home isn’t well-ventilated, the moist air can’t escape.
Cold surfaces?– Water in the air turns into droplets when it touches cold walls or windows.
Low temperatures?– If your home is too cold, condensation is more likely to happen.

How everyday activities add to moisture in your home

Everyday things we do at home add water to the air. Even breathing adds a little! Here’s how much water some common activities can add:

Two people at home throughout the day - 3 pints
A bath or shower - 2 pints
Drying clothes indoors - 9 pints
Cooking and using a kettle - 6 pints
Washing dishes - 2 pints
Total - 22 pints

That’s a lot of water in the air! But don’t worry, there are ways to reduce it:

Dry clothes outside?if you can. If not, dry them in the bathroom with the door shut and a window open a little, or use an extractor fan.

Don’t put clothes on radiators, but if you do, open a window to let the damp air out.
When cooking, put lids on pans and don’t leave the kettle boiling. Open a window or use an extractor fan, and keep the kitchen door shut.
After cooking or washing up, leave a window open or the fan on for about 20 minutes.
When bathing or showering, open a window a little or use the fan. Keep the bathroom door shut to stop damp air from spreading.

4. Letting fresh air into your home

Letting fresh air into your home helps stop condensation. One good way to do this is called?cross-ventilating. You can do it by:

Opening a small window?upstairs?and a small window?downstairs

Try to open windows on?opposite sides?of your home (or opposite corners if you live in a flat)

Open the?inside doors?too, so dry air can move around

Try to do this for about?30 minutes each day.

If your windows have?trickle vents?(small openings at the top or in the frame), keep them open to let air flow in and out.

Be careful in cold weather, if you let in too much cold air, it can make your home colder and cause more condensation, so just open windows a little bit.

5. Cold surfaces in your home

Condensation often forms on?cold surfaces?like walls and ceilings. This can lead to?damp and mould.

To help stop this, you can make these surfaces warmer by:

Adding?insulation?in your loft or walls

Blocking draughts?(cold air coming in) under doors or around windows

We’re working to improve insulation in all our council homes to make them warmer and more energy efficient.

Don’t block draughts in rooms that already have condensation problems, or where there’s a?gas heater, cooker, or solid fuel burner. Also, don’t block draughts in?bathroom or kitchen windows, these rooms need fresh air to stay dry.

6. The temperature of your home

Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air. When the air cools down, it can leave water droplets (condensation) on cold surfaces in your home.

If you heat just one room and leave the others cold, the cold rooms can get more condensation. It’s better to keep your whole home at a?low to medium temperature?if you can.

If you don’t have heating in every room:

Keep the?doors open?so warm air can move around.

Use?electric heaters?like oil-filled radiators or panel heaters on a low setting.

Don’t use portable gas heaters, they add moisture to the air and cost more to run.

We know heating can be expensive because of high energy prices and if you’re struggling, you can apply for help from the EDDC Hardship Fund. More information and the application form are on our website, or you can email hardship@eastdevon.gov.uk.

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