With the winter months getting closer, the common household issue of black mould is quickly becoming a problem for many in the UK.
Colder and damper conditions often lead to mould around windows, bathrooms and kitchens.
The health issues caused by mould are well-known with those living in mouldy spaces likely to experience nausea, asthma and more.
Left untreated, mould and dampness can be costly with the average price of removing this from a whole house being around £1800, according to the experts over at Checkatrade.
Expert reveals top tips for preventing mould in your house this winter
According to expert Chris Hutton, there are a number of preventative measures you can take to prevent mould and damp in your home.
Control humidity
Keeping an eye on the humidity levels in your house is a surefire way to prevent mould with levels of between 30% and 60% being ideal.
Dehumidifiers are a great way to control this in damp and mould-prone parts of the property.
Proper ventilation
Making sure a house is well-ventilated can help control moisture levels. This can be done through the use of extraction fans, opening windows and air conditioning.
For those able to afford them, attic vents can also allow proper circulation.
Address leaks and seal gaps
Checking for issues relating to roof leaks, plumbing and unsealed gaps can help prevent water from gradually flooding parts of your house and causing mould on walls and in and around windows.
Recommended Reading:
This 30p hack can help get rid of mould in your bathroom (and other tricks)
This is why you're finding more black mould in the shower at the moment
This Morning star reveals the £7.50 hack that can stop mould forming in your home
Maintain your home's exterior
Ensuring rainwater is directed away from the home is another good way to prevent household mould as downpours can lead to flooding and moisture issues.
Properly storing items and cleaning your house
Ensuring surfaces are clean and that items are properly stored away in dry areas is a great way to prevent mould from building up.
Monitor indoor plants
Houseplants can sometimes promote mould growth, so keeping an eye on moisture levels can go a long way in preventing this scourge.
However, there are some houseplants that can absorb dampness such as lilies, orchids and spider plants.
Use mould-resistant paint
In kitchens and bathrooms which repeatedly struggle with moisture, mould-resistant paints may save you a lot of time and money.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel