Condensation... need help!!

Doyle_G

I've recently moved into an apartment and I've noticed that the windows are full of condensation every morning since the weather got cold (sometimes leaving pools of water on the window sill which i mop up every morning).. The apartment is generally cold but I tend to spend most of my time in the sitting room/kitchen so this room is warmer (sometimes have the storage heater on in the room). my bedroom is quite cold so i usually put the heater on for an hour or so before bed. The rooms loose the heat very quickly too once the heaters have been switched off which is a pain because they're storage heaters and expensive to run. i noticed today that there was a bit of mold starting to grow on the wall under the window. In fairness I don't ventilate the apartment every day because of the cold weather (but i'm gonna try leave windows open for at least an hour to change the air every day).. I've a fan in the bathroom that comes on automatically when the light goes on. I also dry my clothes indoors on a clothes horse and I've no other option as I'm in a second floor apartment. I don't wanna be getting ill so has anyone got any advice on how i can solve the condensation/mold problem? Should i leave the doors open between the bedroom and sitting room/kitchen to keep the temperature constant throughout the apartment? any help would be appreciated.. thanks

ARGINITE

Dehumidifier or open the windows more often (as in all day).

Shanek320

This is not going to be any help but I have a similar problem and it has been difficult to sort out.

We get a lot of mould on the ceiling and around the window frame of our bedroom. There is usually a huge amount of moisture on the window and enough to create little pools of water on the window sill in the mornings.

I have begun leaving the bedroom door open all day until we go to bed at night and closing all the other doors upstairs. When the heating is on downstairs the hot air rises and helps brings the temperature up to a higher level in the room. This, along with leaving the window cracked open for a few hours a day seems to be reducing but not eliminating the moisture problem.

Every few weeks I treat the new mould areas with bleach and when it dries I paint on a special anti-mould paint that I got in Woodies. This all helps to keep it at bay.

The only way to really sort the problem out, IMHO, is to get a builder in. What we need to do, but can't afford, is to get into the attic and thoroughly insulate it. Then we need to take the ceiling down, insulate, treat and replace it. Fit a new triple glazed window on the bedroom. Then to maintain a constant temperature of about 17° we need to fit a thermostatically controlled radiator into the room to keep it at a constant temperature.

That all costs too much money so here is my advice if you can't afford it like ourselves.

Do open your window a slight bit during the day as you say to replace the air in the room and ventilate. Then try and find a way to keep the temperature up and at about 17° throughout the day. Treat any mould you see with bleach. As you know, you can develop awful chesty conditions because of the mould. When you have cleared the mould treat paint the area with anti-mould paint. Actually, from experience, I would suggest painting the entire ceiling of the room in the special paint.

The window sounds like it has not been installed very well or there is a problem with the insulation around it. It needs to be checked by a window company to see if there is any problem with it.

Here's hoping we win the lotto and build a new house from scratch!

slimjimmc

ARGINITE wrote: »

Dehumidifier or open the windows more often (as in all day).

+1

And if there are vents in the walls or windows then these should be left open all the time.

nudger

Anyone try the small jug de h jobs that Woodies are selling at the moment around €14, like a jug that you open a packet of powder into the top and it sucks up the moisture.
you empty the jug every few days and it lasts about 2 months.
No idea if they are any good or not but if they work then 2 of them should see you through the winter.