Oh the Humidity

Dancook

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any tips to get the humidity down in our house?

Bought myself a little smart Govee thermometer so I can try to understand the balance of heat in the house.

So for the last week or two I've had the heating on all the time, set radiators upstairs to low and downstairs to high - with the thermostat on about 15-17, just want to stop the house temperature dropping too much.

I see an average humidity of 69%, I looked this up and it's too high. It seems to peak with morning showers (room next door) but never really goes that low. It's 68% right now 3 hours after showers, I've cracked the window to see if it helps matters. We otherwise never open windows because we're trying to keep the house warm.

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Whilst checking it today in a particularly problematic room, I noticed a large amount of black mold behind a desk - a popular place for it.

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I'm wondering if upgrading the fan in the bathroom would help

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Also our kitchen extractor fan / hood - doesn't actually go anywhere, so any steam generated in the kitchen downstairs stays in the house.

We've been getting quotes for external wall insulation, though my interest has been waning with some ridiculous pricing, we also do need some new radiators downstairs.

I got 99 problems.
 
Check out dehumidifiers on Amazon. I run one most days over winter.
Keep you bathroom door closed with the fan on while and after showering too.
 
I would probably clean your fan too, looks like it might be partially blocked.
For fans in kitchens that don’t go anywhere, they usually have some form of filter, maybe charcoal, and they are meant to be replaced every few months.
 
Check out dehumidifiers on Amazon. I run one most days over winter.
Keep you bathroom door closed with the fan on while and after showering too.

I have one, aren't they expensive to run?

I've opened the windows upstairs just now to see if it makes any difference, but I could run the dehumidifier instead.
 
Mine costs about 5p an hour to run and takes huge amounts of water out of the air. Opening the window in winter will likely let cool damp air in.
 
Mine costs about 5p an hour to run and takes huge amounts of water out of the air. Opening the window in winter will likely let cool damp air in.

Ok well I'll leave the windows open for now whilst I soak the mold in vinegar - humidity has dropped 2%

Once I've cleaned it up I'll get the humidifier going, thanks

i'll look into those charcoal filters
 
Definitely invest in a dehumidifier, especially if you’re getting mould like that on your walls and then look at tackling what is causing it to be so damp!

Have your windows got trickle vents on them? If so try and open them…obviously it’s a real cold day then close them or knock the heating up a degree or two!!
 
Have your windows got trickle vents on them? If so try and open them…obviously it’s a real cold day then close them or knock the heating up a degree or two!!

That room no, most other rooms yes - weird.

This 'batch of mold' probably started before I have tried leaving the heating on 24/7 and letting the thermostat decide - so maybe going forward this will help still.
 
Do you dry clothes inside? Do you leave the door open when you shower? Do you ever air the house in the winter? Do you suspect a water leak?
 
Do you dry clothes inside? Do you leave the door open when you shower? Do you ever air the house in the winter? Do you suspect a water leak?

We don't leave the door open whilst we shower, but we probably don't keep the door closed when we vacate the bathroom.

We don't air the house in the winter, we open the backdoor briefly for the dogs now and then - and hardly leave the house ourselves :D

We have a washer/dryer in the utility and sometimes clothes go on the radiators downstairs - didn't consider those.

Don't suspect a water leak
 
We don't leave the door open whilst we shower, but we probably don't keep the door closed when we vacate the bathroom.

We don't air the house in the winter, we open the backdoor briefly for the dogs now and then - and hardly leave the house ourselves :D

We have a washer/dryer in the utility and sometimes clothes go on the radiators downstairs - didn't consider those.

Don't suspect a water leak
Then you very likely should start with running the dehumidifier and seeing how the humidity level is affected.
My attached garage was reading 90%, I put the dehumidifier in there all day and it came down to…89%. Moved some things around and saw some water was leaking in through the DPC (single skin garage).
Running a dehumidifier really isn’t expensive and can really help with the humidity level if you are drying stuff indoors and not properly ventilating the bathroom.
 
Then you very likely should start with running the dehumidifier and seeing how the humidity level is affected.
My attached garage was reading 90%, I put the dehumidifier in there all day and it came down to…89%. Moved some things around and saw some water was leaking in through the DPC (single skin garage).
Running a dehumidifier really isn’t expensive and can really help with the humidity level if you are drying stuff indoors and not properly ventilating the bathroom.

I've put the dehumidifier out on the landing opposite the bathroom door! will see how it goes.

thanks :)
 
any tips to get the humidity down in our house?

Bought myself a little smart Govee thermometer so I can try to understand the balance of heat in the house.

So for the last week or two I've had the heating on all the time, set radiators upstairs to low and downstairs to high - with the thermostat on about 15-17, just want to stop the house temperature dropping too much.

I see an average humidity of 69%, I looked this up and it's too high. It seems to peak with morning showers (room next door) but never really goes that low. It's 68% right now 3 hours after showers, I've cracked the window to see if it helps matters. We otherwise never open windows because we're trying to keep the house warm.

View attachment 1648803

Whilst checking it today in a particularly problematic room, I noticed a large amount of black mold behind a desk - a popular place for it.

View attachment 1648804

View attachment 1648806

I'm wondering if upgrading the fan in the bathroom would help

View attachment 1648805

Also our kitchen extractor fan / hood - doesn't actually go anywhere, so any steam generated in the kitchen downstairs stays in the house.

We've been getting quotes for external wall insulation, though my interest has been waning with some ridiculous pricing, we also do need some new radiators downstairs.

I got 99 problems.
These are great for drying out damp or humid properties. my brother in law has fitted these in damp buildings and the residents have been delighted.

 
a smart dehumidifier would be handy, but we do already have Meaco Portable Compact Dehumidifier DD8L

and I'd quite like to treat the source of the issues rather than buy more humidifiers.

I had the same dehumidifier last year but it broke and i never replaced it. Popped up into the loft a couple weeks back and there was really bad condensation in the loft to the point that water was dripping off the felt etc. Bought some lap vents and bought the same deumidifier again and now all the issues are resolved. I tend to run mine every night on the eco (thumb) setting and i have no condensation.

P.s Have you checked your loft for condesation?
 
What's the wall construction where the damp is out of interest? We have a gable end wall with an upstairs room that gets really bad damp on the end wall, it's a solid stone wall and I think there's penetrating damp or possibly some water egress in via the roof at the gable end.

We run a dehumidifier in there to keep it under control until we can find out why.

Tado shows that a lot of rooms in our house have humidity in the 60-70 region. We don't have trickle vents but we do have a whole has MVHR system.

I wouldn't worry so much on the numbers but the black mould is an obvious indicator of an issue.
 
P.s Have you checked your loft for condesation?

There is no condensation in the loft, not since we removed the water tank (years ago) which had heated up due to some back flow issue.

What's the wall construction where the damp is out of interest? We have a gable end wall with an upstairs room that gets really bad damp on the end wall, it's a solid stone wall and I think there's penetrating damp or possibly some water egress in via the roof at the gable end.

We run a dehumidifier in there to keep it under control until we can find out why.

Tado shows that a lot of rooms in our house have humidity in the 60-70 region. We don't have trickle vents but we do have a whole has MVHR system.

I wouldn't worry so much on the numbers but the black mould is an obvious indicator of an issue.

It's a solid wall with external render, facing away from the sun.

We have been considering external insulation, but quotes so far have been 16k from a company that suggested we also foam the rafters. And 25k from a company that cares about cowboys ruining the industry.

Either way they are quoting for 111m2

a friend has Tado, it would be good i think - just if there's bigger issues i might need to hold onto my money for those.
 
There is no condensation in the loft, not since we removed the water tank (years ago) which had heated up due to some back flow issue.



It's a solid wall with external render, facing away from the sun.

We have been considering external insulation, but quotes so far have been 16k from a company that suggested we also foam the rafters. And 25k from a company that cares about cowboys ruining the industry.

Either way they are quoting for 111m2

a friend has Tado, it would be good i think - just if there's bigger issues i might need to hold onto my money for those.

The Tado was more about the fact that it gives me a humidity reading via the TRVs and if the numbers are accurate (they seem to match the dehumidifier) then we've been living with 60-70% for the past few months (I hadn't really cared for noticing before) without issue. Granted we do have the MVHR which turns the air over and keeps it fresh, a bit like trickle vents.

Is your render in good nick? Where we have the issue we have pebble dashing, it's a pain to keep well painted (with breathable paint) and in good order.

Interestingly in the loft, using a moisture meter, the readings for the stones are normal but the mortar between them (lime I think) is wet, it seems to hold the moisture in and definitely needs to breathe.
 
These are great for drying out damp or humid properties. my brother in law has fitted these in damp buildings and the residents have been delighted.

This is what I’m installing when I have my extension done.
 
I've put the dehumidifier out on the landing opposite the bathroom door! will see how it goes.

thanks :)
Make sure they is enough space behind when it sucks the air in. Mine needs to be 65cm from a wall.
 
Make sure they is enough space behind when it sucks the air in. Mine needs to be 65cm from a wall.

i'm not sure there was anything on the back of it which would need to be away from a wall, i'll have to check
 
We got one of these these for the bathroom as we were getting mould. Recommend by my electrian, it's not cheap but it's quiet for the airflow you get as the fan sits in the loft. It has 10x the flow rate of your existing fan. My Mrs has the shower on scolding and takes ages when washing her hair and this can clear the steam by the time you finish drying, it has up to minute overrun. You'll need insulated ducting (stops condensation in ducting on cold days) and a vent cover as well.



In the meantime, clean and existing fan and having a quick look at your existing fan.
 
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