Damp and mould usually occur as a result of moisture getting trapped in your home through normal, everyday activities such as cooking, doing laundry and washing.
When this warm air touches cold surfaces, especially during the colder months, it forms condensation. If left untreated, this can form patches of mould on your walls.
Leaving mould can create conditions hazardous to health because of the mould spores that spread through the air. If you have mould in your home, this needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible before it gets worse.
It’s also important that you check your heating (including any radiators) and report anything that isn’t working, so our repairs team can investigate.
On this page you can find out more about damp, mould and condensation, including how to report it, how to prevent it, and our approach to dealing with it in your home.
How to report issues
If you are experiencing problems with damp and mould, please call our customer experience team on 01372 379555 and press 4 to be transferred to the specialist damp and mould team at Stonewater.
You can also email: customers@stonewater.org
Please include in the subject line your address and the nature of your enquiry, as follows:
Address, Town, Postcode – Damp in kitchen
Please attach any photos you have to help us see the issues you’re having.
If you are experiencing problems with your gas central heating, please call Robert Heath (24/7) on 0203 764 3975.
Not sure which type of heating you have? This page contains pictures to help you identify your system.
If you are experiencing problems with your electric heating, please call Gilmartins (24/7) on 01582 394 968.
Not sure which type of heating you have? This page contains pictures to help you identify your system.
For any other queries, please call our customer experience team on 01372 379 555.
What is damp, mould and condensation?
The guidance below will take you through how to identify different types of damp, mould and condensation, what causes them, and how to prevent it.
Condensation
Condensation occurs when warm, humid air settles on cold surfaces and appears as water droplets. Everyday activities such as cooking, bathing, washing clothes and even breathing produce warm, wet air which can settle on cold surfaces like walls and windows and can cause damp and mould growth if left to build up.
Damp
There are several types of damp that can occur in your home. Damp happens when moisture collects and can’t fully dry out. It is usually caused by condensation and often occurs in areas with low air flow such as a bathroom when the extractor fan is not on or when the windows are closed. Damp can also be caused by problems on the outside of your home, such as a blocked gutter causing moisture to seep into the brickwork or broken tiles on the roof.
Condensation
Condensation damp is the most common type of damp. It is usually caused by normal activities like cooking and bathing. It tends to appear in colder weather when the walls of your house are colder than the air inside.
Condensation damp is not a structural problem. It is often found in rooms with low airflow and can form in the sealant around windows and tiles. It can often be treated by ventilating and heating the affected area.
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp presents as patches in one area. It can be caused by water leaks.
Rising damp
Rising damp–tidemark up to 1m and possible white salts forming. This very rarely occurs.
If you find rising damp or penetrating damp in your home, we can help. Please call us so we can investigate the causes and fix it for you.
Mould
Mould is a type of fungus that grows in damp, moist conditions, often in areas with poor or low lighting and no ventilation. It’s normal to have some mould growth in winter but it needs to be cleaned and ventilated regularly to prevent it from getting more serious. It can grow on most surfaces where moisture is present, and may sometimes grow in places you cannot usually see such as behind wallpaper and under carpets.
Tips for looking after your home
If you find mould or damp that’s being caused by condensation, we can advise you how to ventilate, clean and redecorate the areas as well as providing some resources to help you get rid of it. Here are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the build up of damp and mould in your home.
How to reduce the amount of moisture in your home
Cooking
When cooking, keep lids on saucepans and open a window or use an extractor fan. You can also close the door to prevent damp air from travelling into other rooms.
Window ventilation
Keep trickle vents open. They can usually be found at the top of your window frames if they’re fitted.
Dehumidifiers
Use dehumidifiers and moisture traps in problem areas to help reduce moisture in the air.
Drying clothes
Dry your clothes outside when you can or in a room with an extractor fan running or window open.
Bathing
When having a shower or bath, close the door and make sure you open a window or use your extractor fan so the damp air can escape.
Curtains/blinds
Open curtains or blinds during daylight hours to prevent the build-up of condensation on windows.
Wipe daily
Check windows for condensation daily and wipe them dry with a cloth.
Extractors
Turn on the extractor fan or open a window when bathing and showering.
How to improve the airflow and the heating of your home
Try to maintain a temperature of 18-21 degrees in your home. Cold or sudden changes in temperature can cause the build-up of condensation.
If you’re struggling to pay for your heating or finding it hard to get right, our team can help. Get in touch to find out what support we can offer.
Furniture
Leave a gap between furniture and external walls
Cupboards
Avoid over-filling cupboards and wardrobes
Windows
Open windows at both ends of your home to let warm, wet air escape and let fresh air in.
Wipe clean
Wipe clean any small patches of mould as soon as you spot them using an anti-fungal spray and allow it to dry. Never use bleach to clean mould, as this can make the problem worse.
If you can, use paper towels to wipe mould down so you can throw them away after use and prevent spreading more mould around.
You can help it dry out faster by opening the windows and heating the room.
Really bad spots
For heavily affected areas you’ll need to clean it with some mould treatment, which you can find in most supermarkets. It’s really important that you don’t use bleach to clean the mould as this can sometimes make the problem even worse.
You should try wiping the area down with disposable cloths to avoid spreading the spores around. Once it’s clean, allow it to dry.
After treatment
Once it’s clean, you can apply a coat of sealer to the affected area before redecorating it. To prevent it coming back, use some anti-fungal or mould-resistant paint. You can also buy anti-fungal wallpaper paste if re-applying wallpaper. You may need to clean the area regularly until the cause of the mould has been dealt with and re-decorate once you’re confident it’s gone. This could be when a repair has been completed or after you’ve taken some steps to reduce condensation in your home.
It might seem strange to open your windows to let out moisture when it starts to get cold, but a house with a lot of moisture is harder to heat.
We can help you to make sure you’re on the right deal for your energy and help you switch suppliers if you’re paying too much. We can also offer some guidance around extra financial support that you may be eligible for. There are some organisations that might be able to help you to save money on energy or find out what support you could be eligible for.
Energy Saving Trust
Help to make your home more energy-efficient and reducing energy bills.
Money Saving Expert
Information on grants and funding you may be eligible for.
For more useful links to help you run your home and save money on bills, visit our benefits and money page.
Our approach to dealing with damp, mould and condensation
If you report a repair or issue with damp and mould, we will ask you to send photos of the problem to help us diagnose the cause and find a solution for you. We may also conduct a virtual inspection to help find out how it’s happening. We may need to visit more than once as the affected area will need time to dry out and treatments can often take time to work. If the issue is caused by condensation, we will arrange for a contractor to service your extractor fans, heating system and check your vents to ensure they are all working properly.
If you report damp and mould in your home to us, here’s how we’ll support you:
Stage one: At stage one, the damp and mould team will arrange for someone to come to your home and do what we can to treat it. This may be a deep clean of the mould, a repair of a broken window or extractor fan, or fix a leak which is likely to be causing it. The exact work will vary on a case-by-case basis, but we’ll always aim to fix the cause.
Stage two: If this hasn’t worked, we’ll escalate the issue to find out more, which could include installing a humidity monitor for around four weeks which will give us more information about what’s happening in your home.
After the four-week monitoring period has ended, a surveyor and representative from the tenancy team will meet to discuss the findings of the report and decide on what we’re going to do next to treat the problem.
Stage three: If you are still experiencing damp and mould after repairs have been made and you have met with the surveyor and tenancy team to discuss the humidity monitoring, then we’ll speak with our tenancy team and surveyor to look at what else we can do. This will vary on a case-by-case basis, and we’ll be in touch with you to explain what happens next.
Stage Four: If these measures don’t resolve the issues, we’ll refer your case to our tenancy team who’ll look beyond the structure of your home and provide more support.