In this article we will be looking at how you can stop damp in your wardrobe. This will include how the damp usually forms. As well as the differences between damp in a fitted wardrobe and damp in a free standing wardrobe.

There are a few things you can do to stop damp in a wardrobe. The first thing you will need to do is improve air circulation and ventilation. This will allow air to circulate inside the wardrobe and avoid condensation forming.

The second thing you can do, is trying to avoid high levels of humidity in the room. Again, this will come down to ventilation and allowing air to circulate throughout the room.

The main reason that wardrobes become damp, is the air is unable to circulate. This means that moist air becomes trapped and settles on the inside surfaces of your wardrobe. This causes damp and will eventually lead to mould forming.

fitted wardrobe or free standing wardrobe

How you deal with the damp in your wardrobe, will depend on the type of wardrobe you have. Are your wardrobes fitted? Or are they free standing wardrobes that you can easily move?

Both types of wardrobe can suffer from poor circulation and ventilation. Because of this, both types can suffer from condensation and moist air being trapped inside the wardrobe. However, fitted wardrobes may cause more problems than free standing wardrobes. This is mainly because a free standing wardrobe can be moved, whereas fitted wardrobes are fixed in place.

One of the most common ways that condensation forms, is when moisture meets a dew point. A dew point is a cold surface that naturally attracts warm moist air. For this reason, you should check whether your wardrobe is placed up against a cold external wall.

if you own a free standing wardrobe this can be easily moved away from cold exterior walls. On the other hand, if your wardrobes are fitted on a cold wall this could be more problematic.

Easy fixes for a free standing wardrobe

If you have a free standing wardrobe, you will often find that you get damp and mould on the back inside surface.

You may also notice the damp and mould begins to form behind your wardrobe. You can easily stop the latter, by slightly moving your wardrobe away from the wall. This will allow air to circulate better, which will mean there is less chance of condensation settling on the wall.

Also, as we mentioned before, if the wardrobe is against a cold exterior wall simply move it to another wall in the room. The combination of a larger gap behind the wardrobe, and being placed on a slightly warmer wall, should stop damp and mould from forming as easily.

What if your fitted wardrobe is on an exterior wall?

If you have a fitted wardrobe on an exterior wall, in most cases you can’t just move it to another wall. your wardrobe is fitted in place and is usually designed for the area is fitted in. However, if it is fitted on a cold exterior wall you will have the same problem. The cold surface will form a dew point, which makes it easier for condensation to form.

Most fitted wardrobes will have a small void between the back of the wardrobe and the wall itself. One solution could be to remove the wardrobes and place insulation behind the back panels. By adding some insulation This should increase the temperature of the back surface, meaning it is no longer a dew point.

You could also consider painting the back wall with an anti mould damp proof paint. This should help to avoid mould forming in the future.

Obviously, you will need to make sure that all mould is removed from the surface. Once this has been done, you can add a coat of anti mould paint and then place insulation. Following this, you can fit your wardrobes back over the newly insulated wall.

Ways to reduce condensation in your wardrobe

As we already know condensation forming is the result of three things:

1. Excess moisture and humidity in the air
2. Poor ventilation and air circulation
3. A cold surface the condensation can form on (a dew point)

As we have already discussed, a cold surface at the back of your wardrobe (also known as a dew point), makes it very easy for condensation to form.

However, for condensation to form there needs to be excess moisture in the air. Therefore, the second thing we need to do is reduce the amount of moisture and humidity in the air.

The best way to reduce moisture in the air is via decent ventilation. This can be achieved in several ways. Firstly, we need to make sure the room itself is well ventilated. This can be as simple as opening a door, or occasionally opening the window. Both actions will allow moist air to escape from the room.

Below are a few more things that you can do to improve circulation, and lower air humidity in your room and wardrobe:

1. Use a dehumidifier – A dehumidifier can be a great way of extracting moisture from the air. A good dehumidifier can remove a significant amount of moisture. Larger models can remove as much as eight litres per day. The size of dehumidifier you choose will usually depend on the size of the room that it will be placed in. You can read more about how dehumidifiers reduce damp here
   
   
2. Regularly open the doors of your wardrobes – Leaving your wardrobe doors closed all the time does not allow any air to circulate inside. By regularly opening them, you will allow trapped moisture to escape and fresh new air to enter the wardrobe.
   
   
3. Add air vents to your wardrobe – Adding an air vent to your wardrobe is another way you can help air to circulate. This can be beneficial in both fitted and free standing wardrobes.
   
   
4. Avoid overfilling your wardrobe – Whatever you are putting in your wardrobe, overfilling it is Guaranteed to reduce air circulation. If your wardrobe is packed full of clothes or other items, it will be much easier for damp and mould to form.
   
   
5. Fully dry clothes – If your wardrobe is mainly for storing clothes, you should make sure that the clothes you place in the wardrobe are completely dry. Adding additional moisture inside your wardrobe in the form of wet clothes, will increase the chance of mould forming.

Conclusion

As we mentioned, the main reason for condensation and damp forming, is moisture in the air and poor ventilation. This will usually result in condensation forming on cold surfaces with poor air circulation.

For this reason, there are things you will need to do, to avoid damp in your wardrobe. Firstly, you need to remove moisture from the air, and secondly you need to improve ventilation and air circulation.

If you can get these things right, damp in your wardrobe should become a thing of the past.

In this article we will be looking at how you can stop damp in your bathroom. This will cover why bathrooms are more prone to damp, as well as some quick tips to reduce condensation damp and mould.

So how do you stop damp in your bathroom?

To stop damp in your bathroom you need to improve ventilation and air circulation. This will stop the moisture that is created from settling on surfaces and creating condensation damp.

You can do this by allowing moist air to escape from the room. This can be achieved by something as simple as opening a window or fitting an extractor fan.

If you don’t have an extractor fan, you could use a dehumidifier to extract moisture from the air. You can also use anti mould and damp proof paints to stop damp and mould from forming.

Why bathrooms are prone to damp

Bathrooms are more prone to damp compared with other rooms in the home. This is mainly due to activities, such as running hot baths or taking long showers. All these produce a large amount of steam and condensation. If this steam and condensation is not extracted, then it will settle on surfaces in the bathroom.

The bathroom also tends to be one of the smaller rooms in the house. When multiple people are using it daily, the amount of moisture that is created, can be considerably more than any other room in the house.  

Overtime all this condensation will settle on surfaces and start to form black mould. This is not only unpleasant to look at, but it can also be quite bad for your health.

5 Ways to reduce damp in your bathroom

There are several ways to reduce moisture in your bathroom. In this section we are going to be looking at 5 effective ways to reduce the amount of condensation that is formed in your bathroom.

1. the first way to reduce condensation is quite simple. You can open a window when you are taking a shower or running a bath. By opening a window, you allow moisture to escape. This will allow the condensation to leave the bathroom and fresh air to circulate in.
   
   
2. The 2nd way to reduce moisture in your bathroom is to use an extractor fan. These are usually quite affordable. However, you will usually need an electrician to install this if you do not already have one.
   
   The good news is once they are installed, they can be turned on whenever you are using your shower or bath. The extractor fan will essentially suck the moisture out of the bathroom. This will result in better air circulation, so not only will the moisture be removed from the bathroom, but fresh air will be circulated in, and the moist air will not have time to settle on surfaces.
   
   
3. Another way to reduce moisture in the bathroom is to use a dehumidifier. If you do not have an extractor fan, or are unable to have one fitted, a dehumidifier is an affordable alternative.
   
   These can usually be bought for under 50 pounds and you can simply turn them on to extract moisture from the air in your bathroom.
   
   
4. Another way to reduce the condensation in your bathroom, is to just produce less moisture. You can do this by having shorter showers, or by simply not running the water as hot.
   
   If you take cooler showers and baths there will not be as much condensation produced.
   
   
5. Finally, you can use a decent damp proof or anti mould paint. This is not actually going to stop moisture and condensation. However, it will stop mould from forming and protect your walls from the moisture being produced.
   
   There are many different damp proof paints on the market. However, a specialist bathroom paint such as Dulux Easy Care is a great option.

Best bathroom dehumidifiers

As we mentioned previously, a small bathroom dehumidifier is a really good way to extract moisture from your bathroom. It can be far simpler than installing an extractor fan, and generally it is quite a bit cheaper. This is mainly since you won’t have to pay an electrician to install it for you.

You can usually get a decent bathroom dehumidifier for under 50 pounds. Below are a Couple of our favourites that are worth considering.

PAIPU Dehumidifier – 900ML

Our first option is the PAIPU 900 ml Dehumidifier. This model can extract up to 300 ml per day.

This dehumidifier is extremely energy efficient with very low power consumption when in use.

It also turns off automatically when full. This means that you don’t have to worry about it overflowing once the reservoir is full.

Finally, it is also very compact and light weight, which means it can be easily stored and moved around.

This dehumidifier is ideal for any room up to 20 square metres, which makes it perfect for the average size bathroom.

To learn more about the PAIPU Dehumidifier – 900ML click here

Pro Breeze Dehumidifier

Another great option is the Pro Breeze Dehumidifier. This dehumidifier has a slightly smaller tank at 500 ml and extracts 250 ml per day.

It is lightweight and portable, so it can easily be moved from room to room and is very easy to store. It will also turn off when the tank becomes full, which means you don’t need to worry about it overflowing.

The Pro Breeze is also very quiet, so you barely notice it is there.

To learn more about the Pro Breeze dehumidifier and read some reviews click here

Best bathroom damp proof paint

Damp proof paint is another really good way to protect the surfaces in your bathroom. It will not stop the moisture however it will stop it from soaking into your walls and causing unpleasant damp and mould.

We have a couple of articles on internal damp proof paint and anti mould paints which you can check out at the following links below.

Best Anti Mould Paints

Best Interior Damp Proof Paint

Both articles talk about a range of different damp proof paints and anti mould paints. However, when it comes to bathrooms, our favourite choice is Dulux Easy Care bathroom paint.

You can see the main benefits of this paint below:

1. highly moisture and steam resistant
2. Guaranteed to protect against mould for five years
3. 10 times stronger and more durable than standard Dulux matts and emulsions
4. Produces a nice smooth finish
5. Excellent coverage in only two coats

To learn more about Dulux easy care bathroom paint and read real customer reviews click here

Conclusion

When it comes to stopping damp in your bathroom, the most important thing is to improve ventilation and air circulation.

The main cause for damp and condensation in a bathroom is the sheer amount of moisture produced. If this moisture is not being removed, then it will settle on surfaces and cause damp. Eventually this will lead to mould and overtime can lead to even bigger problems.

To save money and look after your own health, the best thing to do is deal with bathroom damp early. You can do this by making sure that moisture is being removed on a regular basis. This will avoid any future issues and make sure that your bathroom is a pleasant damp free room.

To a lot of people, the solution to damp might seem as simple as cranking the central heating up to dry it out. It isn’t really as simple as that, but central heating can help some types of damp.

If you’re wondering does central heating help damp, the answer depends on what type of damp you have. It won’t prevent every type but using your central heating in the right way could help you with some forms.

This article will discuss what you need to know about central heating and damp. Along with which types it helps, and how you can help prevent damp by heating your home in the right way.

Central heating does help damp, but it depends on which type of damp you have. Using your central heating properly is important for cutting down on condensation damp. This is a common form of damp with estimates saying up to 33% of homes have had issues with condensation.

Condensation is mainly affected by moisture in the air, airflow, and temperature. Your central heating is pretty important for that. Central heating can also help you dry out after repairs to damp. Although, there is some misinformation out there about how that works.

The important thing to remember is, It won’t help with all types of damp. You need to diagnose the cause of your damp first.

Will Central Heating Prevent Damp?

It’s important to note that central heating won’t prevent damp by itself. Central heating can help you avoid specific types of damp. But it isn’t enough to just keep your house warm and assume that no moisture can get in! Drying out damp isn’t that simple.

Central heating is great for getting a better airflow and dealing with hot moist air that can become condensation. But heating can also be a cause of condensation damp if it is used incorrectly.

For example, cranking the heating up in winter after a long hot bath might make the house a bit nicer. However, it will lead to moist hot air becoming trapped. This warm moist air will then settle on cold surfaces causing condensation damp. In this situation you would actually be better opening a window and allowing the warm moist air to escape.

What Types of Damp Does Central Heating help?

The main type of damp that central heating helps is condensation. Condensation is the type of damp you will often find in rooms that don’t get used much. As well as damp behind furniture where air circulation is poor.

It happens when moist air becomes trapped in your house. This then hits colder surfaces like walls and becomes condensation, which soaks in and can cause mould to form. This is caused by poor ventilation and air circulation.

Central heating can help with this if used in combination with proper ventilation and airflow. However, you do need to make sure your damp problems are definitely related to condensation.

Types of Damp Heating Will Not Fix

Most types of damp aren’t going to be affected by turning the heating on. Below are some of the types of damp that central heating will not fix:

• Penetrating Damp – Penetrating damp is moisture drawn from outside through a wall. This is caused by problems with your wall and weatherproofing, and the temperature inside of the house won’t affect it. You’ll have to treat this in other ways.
• Rising Damp – This type is similar to penetrating but the moisture is being drawn upwards rather than through the wall. Rising damp also won’t be helped by central heating since the air inside your house isn’t to blame.
• Plumbing and Roof Leaks – Leaks with your plumbing, roof, or even chimney can cause damp by excessive water finding its way inside. Central heating isn’t going to help here since it doesn’t do anything to stop rain getting in.

Ways Central Heating Can Help Damp

Central heating can be good for preventing condensation, but it depends on your specific circumstances. Most of this has to do with air ventilation and flow. The heat in your house affects this and can make quite a difference. These are some ways you can use central heating to help:

• Change Temperatures Gradually – More moist air will build up from rapid temperature changes. Avoid turning the heat up really high or turning it off suddenly. Dramatic temperature changes can make condensation worse. Turn your heating up or off gradually instead.
• Heat Every Room – Heating every room can help you cut down on damp. Having one room cold and the rest warm will lead to cold spots. These are much more vulnerable to condensation and damp than other rooms. Heat every room in your house rather than just the ones that you’re using.
• Ventilation – Having central heating running in the winter can cause condensation if there is poor ventilation. While most people will close their windows when the heating is on, it isn’t always for the best. Despite paying to heat a room, it’s still important to let any moist air out and create good airflow, so windows need to be opened periodically. Try to let cool air in and moist air out, even when you’re using your heating. 

Central heating can help you to generate decent airflow. It is dependent on other things to stop condensation though. You can try to put less moisture into your air by changing habits or ventilation. You can also draught-proof and insulate your home, or use a dehumidifier.

Drying Damp After Repairs

Central heating can help you prevent condensation. But what about when you’ve had a more serious damp problem? Can central heating help you dry wet areas after you’ve repaired the source of the damp?

Obviously, the first step for fixing damp is to deal with the root cause of the problem. Once this is done though, you might end up with damp patches that still need drying out. If the damp patches are small, then running a fan at them is usually enough to blow them dry without applying direct heat. If you have a larger section of damp, it might require a bit more.

Warm air carries more moisture in it than cold air. This can sometimes make it harder to dry out a damp spot with the central heating on. This might sound counter-productive, but central heating should not be put up high to dry out damp.

Instead, try to keep your house at a good stable temperature rather than having it too hot or too cold. Along with that, you can open windows to increase ventilation and use a dehumidifier to dry out damp. While central heating can be helpful, having too much hot air may cause you more problems than it solves.

Conclusion

Central heating can help damp, but only specific forms. It can be useful for condensation damp but not so much for other types.

There are ways to use your central heating to help deal with condensation damp. Using your central heating in these ways can go a long way to taking care of condensation. However, it has to be matched with proper airflow to make the most out of it. So central heating does help damp, but it isn’t a miracle cure and will really only help in combination with other strategies to target condensation in your home.

Today we’ll be discussing whether a dehumidifier will get rid of damp in your home. There are several types of damp, and a dehumidifier will not work with them all. However, certain types of damp can be improved considerably by using one.

In this article we will look at the type of damp that can be helped with a dehumidifier. We will also look at using a dehumidifier to improve the effects of other types of damp. Plus, we’ll tell you about our favourite dehumidifiers at the end of this article. So, stick around if you think a dehumidifier will help with your damp issues.

A dehumidifier will get rid of some types of damp. However, they are only designed to help with condensation. If the damp in your home is not being caused by condensation, then a dehumidifier might not be the best solution. If it is condensation, buying a dehumidifier is a very low cost effective solution to this problem.

Condensation happens when the moisture in the air contacts a cold surface. A good example of this happening would be a mirror (that’s why the mirror is always foggy after a shower). However, it can also be a wall, window or any other surface in your home. Condensation can also happen in parts of a home where the air is still. The corners of a room, for example. If you’re noticing that windows in a room have condensation on them, then a dehumidifier might really help to reduce the moisture in the air.

How is condensation caused?

We all know about having a shower, and the mirror steaming up. Still, unless you’re showering all day, it isn’t just your shower habits that are causing your damp issues. Condensation can be caused by draughts making your home cold. Your roof not having enough insulation. Or your home just being a bit too cold.

However, even simple things can cause condensation. For example, a boiling saucepan without a lid causes condensation. Boil water without a lid enough times and you may see mould on the paint in your kitchen. Thankfully, there’s plenty of ways to reduce condensation. In fact, condensation is one of the easiest types of damp to get rid of and keep at bay.

Ways to reduce condensation

To reduce condensation, you must reduce the amount of moisture in your home. You can reduce the moisture in your home in a few ways, including:

• Produce less moisture – Boiling veg with the lid on. Drying clothes outside. Venting your tumble dryer. All great ways to reduce the moisture in your home.
• Let fresh air in and moist air out – Installing an extractor will help with condensation. Installing one in your bathroom or your kitchen can push moisture out and let fresh air in.
• Draught-proof and insulate your home – Condensation is less prone in a warmer home. Check your roof insulation, draught proof your doors and consider double glazing.
• Heat your home more – Very cold rooms are more prone to damp. Simply turning a radiator on occasionally in rooms you don’t use can make a massive difference.

All the above methods will help with condensation. You can also help with condensation by creating a through draft. Opening a couple of windows, for example, makes a through draft. This is less effective than the measures above, but it can work to prevent condensation when used with other measures. You can combine as many of these damp solutions as you like too.

You can also use a dehumidifier with all of these solutions. But, while a dehumidifier is a great way of getting rid of condensation, you should always try to figure out what’s causing it. If there is an underlying issue you may need to run a dehumidifier all the time to see results. So, finding the cause of your condensation is key to proper treatment.

Can a dehumidifier help with other types of damp?

If you have already purchased a dehumidifier and now know that condensation isn’t the cause of your damp, don’t worry. A dehumidifier can be used to help with other types of damps too. A dehumidifier won’t solve your damp issues. Still, it can help you dry a room out once the damp has been found and treated.

Penetrating damp, for example, leaves behind wet walls and peeling wallpaper. Airing out the room will help, but a dehumidifier will speed this process along nicely. Rising damp leave behind wet floorboards and walls. Again, a dehumidifier will help to speed up the drying process.

The key thing to remember, though, is that your damp issue needs to be solved. If you have rising damp, a dehumidifier won’t get rid of it. It will undoubtedly help you dry the walls of the affected rooms. However, if the rising damp is still there, it will return. You must treat the rising damp first. Find the cause and fix it. Then, you can use a dehumidifier to speed up the drying process.

Our top three dehumidifiers

Meaco 12L Dehumidifier

This dehumidifier from Meaco can remove up to 12 litres of water a day from your home. It is nice and energy-efficient too. Plus, it has a two-year warranty and is nice and quiet. It is also totally programmable. You can set this dehumidifier to turn on and off when you like. It also has pre-sets to make controlling it nice and easy. Also, this dehumidifier is available in different colours. Granted, that won’t help with your condensation, but it’s still a nice touch! Meaco happens to be an industry leader too. There are decades of experience wrapped up in this dehumidifier.

You can learn more about this dehumidifier and read reviews on Amazon by clicking here

Pro Breeze 12L Dehumidifier

This is another dehumidifier that can remove 12 litres of water from the air in your home a day. It has a large water tank that can hold up to 1.8 litres at a time. However, it also has a continuous drainage hose. This means you can leave this dehumidifier to work long-term and not need to worry about the tank. Plus, it has a 24-hour timer, and handy pre-sets too.

You can learn more about this dehumidifier and read reviews on Amazon by clicking here

Pro Breeze 20L Dehumidifier

This dehumidifier is basically the same as the other Pro Breeze above. The reason that this dehumidifier made our list is the powerful motor. This dehumidifier can move 20 litres of water a day. Plus, it has a 5.5-litre water tank too. It does also have the optional hose, timer and the pre-sets that the one above has. If you have a big room to rid of condensation, this dehumidifier is a fantastic choice.

You can learn more about this dehumidifier and read reviews on Amazon by clicking here

Conclusion

A dehumidifier is a fantastic tool to have in your arsenal when fighting condensation. Don’t forget, though, try to find the reason for your condensation and solve it. If you don’t, your dehumidifier will be putting in a lot of work!