Some mornings, it’s like living in a rain forest!

As I pull back the curtains I know what I’m going to see:  a wet, damp, film of condensation. 

A cold frosty night inevitably is a morning of heavy-duty mopping up. Water, water, everywhere. And, until the weather turns warmer, there’s not much I can do about it. 

I live in a well insulated home and condensation is the price I pay. 

I have double-glazed windows, the vents are open and yet every morning  after a cold winter nights, water materialises on the windows inside my home. It appears in my living room, bedroom, kitchen – and even in unoccupied rooms. 

Some mornings the windows are as wet as the inside of a shower cubicle!

Steam from the kettle, drying wet clothes indoors, cooking and breathing all combine to create internal moisture in the air. When cold air outside the windows hits the warmer air inside it combines with whatever moisture is present to create condensation.

At best, it is a cluster of water bubbles gathering in the lower corners of the window frame. At worst, the window is a fully opaque screen; a wet and moist layer between the room, the glass and the view outside.

For many of us condensation is a winter ritual and constant battle.  

In cold weather I have a towel and squeegee on hand to mop it all away. If not,  condensation could lead to mould, pervasive dampness, clammy air, foul smells and spores.  

Dealing with condensation becomes a routine task; an everyday part of my life. I stay on top of it otherwise it is one step along the road to dereliction, and personal ill health. 

You don’t want condensation in your home. 

Our homes express our wealth, taste, comfort and style. Condensation reminds us we are not masters of our own domain. 

Breathing, cooking and heating; it’s what we do at home.  

But, it being human in an inanimate man-made space that pits us against nature.  If you don’t  keep up with what nature is doing ( by stealth) ultimately, it will reclaim the space. 

Condensation is a common problem that we don’t tend to talk much about  it.

Insurance and building companies issue warnings and advice but we still need to heat, cook and bathe. It isn’t always feasible to buy a dehumidifier, leave the windows open in winter  or the heating on low at all times. 

Condensation isn’t something that features in the glossy interior design magazines. When buying a house, an estate agent is never going to draw attention to it –  though, a surveyor would. The house of your dreams involves heart and head, but there may be warning signs – if you know what to look for.

It is only when you occupy a home that you discover if condensation is something you have to learn to live with.

Architecture is about keeping nature at bay.

Architecture is constantly pitted against the force of nature that can rot, break, shake and destroy a building – slowly, or quickly. 

Mould thrives in dank, damp spaces.  If you cannot afford to heat your home in winter nature could make it uninhabitable.

Wherever there is extreme condensation and high levels of damp it suggests poverty and neglect. However, it may also come down to bad design and poor building materials. When a building is not designed to accommodate the way people live  –  no matter what it looks like –  it is bad architecture.

We can see that if condensation is allowed to settle it attacks finishes and paintwork.  Rot can set in causing corrosion and decay.  It’s something we see in the homes of elderly people whose focus may have shifted from maintaining their home, to maintaining their own health.

These images of condensation may look beautiful and arty – water droplets catching the light,  bubbles on glass.  My experience of condensation  is neither positive, or aesthetic: I find it stressful.

Truly, whenever I see how much water has formed on the windows overnight my heart sinks.

In winter I am left anxious and ever-watchful of mould. I carefully scour the corners of the room, the windows, the door and the bathroom for any signs of darkness, blackness or green mildew. Because I have to be vigilant and wary it means I can’t quite relax in my home.

But, I know this season for condensation will pass.

There is no such thing as the perfect home. 

Every home has its problems. But, when the building fabric is being attacked by mould and mildew something needs to be done. 

Mould can kill.

In 2020 Aawab Ishak (aged 2) died as a direct result of a respiratory condition caused by mould and damp from living in sub-standard rented housing. His death drew attention to the impact of mould and damp in sub-standard rented housing.

From the subsequent consultation the UK Government Guidance ” Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home”( 7/9/2024) recognises that certain people are more at risk. That is: people with health conditions, compromised immune system, pregnant mothers, young children, people who are bed-bound/house-bound, children, older people or people with mental health problems.  A broad cross-section of our society young and old who are made vulnerable just by being at home. 

The guidance recognises living with mould and damp is not just about the physical problems but also the mental health effect  due to:

• unpleasant living conditions
• destruction of property and belongings
• anxiety related to physical health impacts and/or looking after a relative suffering from damp and mould-related illnesses
• frustration with poor advice and/or being blamed for damp and mould
• social isolation as a result of not wanting visitors in the home
• delays in response or repairs following reporting of damp and mould and/or poor quality of repairs

Significantly, it addresses that people living in inadequate rented accommodation find themselves putting on a front, developing feelings of shame, culpability, and being disregarded. When it’s not their fault.

The introduction of Awaab’s Law  in the UK now requires landlords to promptly address and fix  damp and mould issues. 

And about time too!