DIY Builds
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Why are my walls wet in the winter?

Firstly, the colder temperatures lead to some walls in your house becoming cold themselves. These cold walls attract moisture which condenses into a liquid on their surface. At the same time, houses will typically be less ventilated because you want to keep your living space warm.

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Condensation on walls is a problem for countless homes throughout the country. Unfortunately, it gets worse in winter, as the colder temperatures draw more moisture from the air. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. In this post, we’ll look at why condensation becomes more of a problem in winter and three ways to stop it affecting your walls.

Why does condensation increase in winter?

There are a number of reasons why condensation becomes more prevalent in the winter months. Firstly, the colder temperatures lead to some walls in your house becoming cold themselves. These cold walls attract moisture which condenses into a liquid on their surface. At the same time, houses will typically be less ventilated because you want to keep your living space warm. While windows can be left open throughout spring and summer, that’s less practical when temperatures drop into single figures. While condensation itself can be annoying, with pools of water potentially building up on the floor, it can become even more of a problem if it’s ignored. Having moisture sitting on your walls provides the perfect environment for damp and mould to develop, which can cause structural issues and health problems – as well as being even more unsightly.

How to stop condensation

1. Reduce moisture

The first way to tackle condensation is by reducing the amount of moisture that’s trapped inside your home. Given that moisture is released by cooking, showering, boiling a kettle and even breathing, it’s not practical to simply stop generating it. Instead, you’ll want to make sure your home is well ventilated wherever and whenever possible. Obviously, this does mean sacrificing some heat by opening windows to let moisture out. However, there are some ways you can do it Open a nearby window whenever you’re doing anything that releases moisture such as cooking or showering. Open windows early in the morning before you switch on the heating, giving your house a fresh breath of air before warming it up If you have a particular part of your house that’s suffering from condensation on the walls, you might only need to improve ventilation in this area

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2. Keep walls warm

As well as reducing moisture, you can also prevent it from being attracted to your walls. One way of doing that is by keeping the inside of your home warm. Warm air holds more moisture, meaning there’s less chance of it sitting on surfaces like walls and windows. Keeping a space well heated will also keep the walls warmer, which eliminates the cold surface to stop them becoming a condensation magnet. While the two steps above sound simple enough, they don’t work for everyone. You might not be able to strike the right balance between ventilation and warmth. Certain areas in your home could be nigh-on impossible to keep warm. Or sometimes, even with heating and ventilation, you simply can’t stop condensation building up – as was the case at Shearsmith House, a tower block in London. If this is the case, the best course of action is to treat the walls. Adding a moisture-resistant coating like SprayCork will prevent moisture from gathering on the surface of the walls. With SprayCork, you’ll also benefit from improved insulation which will make it easier to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Stop condensation for good

If you’re tired of the constant battle with condensation on walls, and the further problems of damp and mould that come with it, it’s time to put Corksol to the test. Our innovative SprayCork coating can stop condensation build-up when all else has failed. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about our products. Alternatively, you can get in touch with your local approved applicator to take the first step towards condensation-free walls.

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