Dampness and Condensation Claire O’Neill Environmental Protection, Public Health and Housing.
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Transcript of Dampness and Condensation Claire O’Neill Environmental Protection, Public Health and Housing.
Environmental Health Service
• Environmental Protection , Public Health and Housing
• Food Safety• Health and Safety• Community Safety
Work of the Unit
• Regulate the private rented sector• Investigate nuisance complaints-Social
housing, owner occupied- noise , smoke , rubbish, rats, drains
• Exhumations• Swimming pools and private water supplies• Disused quarries• Planning responses
Private Tenancies Order
• Certificates of Fitness/ Notices of refusal• Notices of Disrepair• Notices of Unfitness• Landlord registration• Tenancy deposits• Unlawful eviction and harassment• Rent books, Tenancy statements
Clean Neighbourhoods - nuisance
• Public Health ( Ireland) Act 1878• Protect living conditions• Duty to inspect district for nuisances• Duty to issue abatement notices on person
responsible • Dampness, drains, dry rot, fumes from heating
systems, rubbish, dog dirt, rat infestations
Grant aid
• NIHE grant aid available for landlords in receipt of abatement notice
• % grant based on NAV of property• Maximum of £7,500 over 3 years• Based on NIHE schedule of works prices• Landlord must get the notice from the
Council,do the work and then claim money back
Condensation
• What is it? Water vapour touches a cold surface and condenses to form dampness or water droplets
• Warm air can hold more water vapour• Water vapour can come from washing,
cooking, laundry, breathing.....• If no open vent/window it will move around
until it finds a cold surface
• Modern homes are better insulated BUT are draught proofed- stops vapour escaping
• Double glazing can exacerbate condensation if no supplementary ventilation
• Older Homes- No cavity wall - cold wall surfaces inviting condensation
• Inadequate heating systems• LPG or bottled gas heaters
• Homes heated intermittently are more likely to be affected as the surfaces cool down
• More likely on windows, cold walls, around doors and windows, behind furniture at an external wall and inside cupboards where circulation is restricted
• Sealing of roof voids/vents
Reducing condensation
• Produce less moisture• Lids on pans, no drying clothes on radiators ,
vented tumble dryers• When cooking and washing, use extractor fan
or open window for 20 mins after ( keep door closed)
• Wipe condensation away
• Ventilate moisture away:• Leave trickle vents open- sealed to stop
draughts• Place furniture against internal walls and leave a
gap• Heating:• Continual low-level heating keeps surfaces
warm• Set timer so that house is warm on return
Mould growth
• Some people are more sensitive than others, including:
• Babies and children • Elderly people • Those with existing skin problems, such as eczema• Those with respiratory problems, such as allergies and
asthma • Those with a weakened immune system • These people should stay away from damp and mould.
• Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances. Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.
• Damage clothes, possessions, re-decoration costs, voids
Treatment of mould
• If you notice mould growing in your home, you should treat it straight away to stop it from spreading and causing more damage to your home.
• Sterilise the affected area with a suitable fungicidal wash (available from most DIY stores), following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Keep checking the affected area for at least a week. • If the mould reappears, wash it down again with the
fungicidal wash to make sure the area is thoroughly sterilised.• If the treatment appears to have been successful, you can
carry out any necessary redecoration.
• If painting, use a good quality fungicidal paint to help prevent mould, but remember that this will not be effective if it is later covered by ordinary paint or wallpaper.
• If wallpapering, use a paste containing a fungicide to prevent further mould growth.
• If mould or mildew is growing on clothing or carpets, you should dry clean them.
• Don’t disturb mould by brushing or vacuum cleaning, as you can increase the risk of respiratory problems.
• To prevent mould returning, make sure that you control condensation in your home.
EHO- action
• Needs to be a structural/ disrepair issue to issue an abatement notice- NIHE grant aid
• % of approved cost – max- %£7,500• Based on rateable value of property• NI Fitness standard does not specify standards
of heating or insulation( unlike HHSRS)
• Difficult to pin-point cause- normally range of factors- tenant in fuel poverty, sealed vents, poor heating system etc
• Data logger- temperature/ relative humidity• Advice to tenants and landlords
What can Landlords do?
• A lot of causes and remedies lie with tenant- lifestyle-heating, ventilation etc
• Assist through dry-lining/insulating problematic external walls, addressing hard to heat homes improved heating systems
• Installing humidistat fans in bathrooms , positive ventilation systems
• Effective mould treatment