The rainy season brings with it a lot of challenges for homeowners. There’s the problem with leaks and flooding, damp laundry, mud-covered shoes, and dripping umbrellas, and so on. The rain is a beautiful force of nature, and it can sometimes cause chaos.
Another problem is condensation. What exactly is condensation? It is what happens when warm, moist air comes into contact with a surface that is cooler than it is. The warm air, in this state, is not able to retain the amount of moisture and that is why water is released on to the cooler surface such as windows. Condensation also takes place when warm and cold air meet. You can see that your house has condensation problems when there’s too much dampness, molds are growing, paint or wallpaper are peeling, and unpleasant smell in your clothes.
There are several factors as to what causes condensation. In simple terms, these are the level of moisture in the air, the temperature in your home, and the surface temperature of your windows. When there’s too much moisture in the air, especially during the rainy season, the likelihood of condensation in your home increases.
The question now is how to prevent condensation in your home or condo? What are the simple things you can do to keep dampness and molds away?
Ventilation is key
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Whenever possible, open your windows. When you see streaming windows, this means the humid air from indoors is settling on the cooler window surface because it cannot get out. Remember that condensation forms when a surface’s temperature is below the air temperature outside. In short, if you open your windows, the temperature outdoors and indoors evens out. You must also make sure that the drip vents in your condo windows are open to allow for better airflow.DMCI Homes designs its buildings with Lumiventt Design Technology to help natural air flow to every part of the building. This also helps fight condensation inside your unit.
Inspect your home
Due diligence in condo maintenance must be performed ideally before the start of the rainy season. To ensure good ventilation, check your home’s airways for better airflow. Moist air trapped in your home will condense walls. Check your roof for leaks and walls for cracks. Inspect your property’s gutter and piping to make sure that water is carried away.
Extract moisture
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Extractor fans are your best friends in preventing condensation. When cooking, turn your extractor fans on so that moisture from pots and pans may be extracted. Keep your pots and pans covered when cooking to lessen the moisture. Do not disable your extractor fans for a few more minutes after cooking because it is likely that there is still some moisture in the air. If your kitchen has access to windows, it is best to keep them open too for better airflow.
Moisture is also high in the bathroom, so it is best to keep your extractor fans working. Shut the bathroom door to avoid moisture from getting out and affecting other parts of your home.
Another cause of the increase in the amount of moisture inside the home are damp clothes. Whenever possible, hang them outside to dry completely. If not, keep them in a closed room so as not to spread moisture everywhere. Turning the heating up a little will also help.
Maintain constant temperature
Keeping the indoor temperature constant will help prevent condensation. Remember that cold air causes warm air to release moisture, but if the temperature is the same most of the time, moisture is less likely. Keeping the thermostat at the same temperature in every room will help avoid condensation forming on cold surfaces.
Get rid of black molds
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Those pesky black molds are the most horrible sign of condensation in your condo. The moisture that settles on cold surfaces such as windows and external walls gives the perfect conditions for black molds to grow. Get rid of these by using a sterilizer spray and using anti-mold paint. Bleach and vinegar are also effective cleaning agents.
You can also prevent black mold formation by moving your furniture slightly away from the walls. This will allow air to flow freely around the room instead of getting stuck at the bottom of the walls. The air between walls and furniture can condense and form molds. These are the best ways to not only fight building mold inside your condo and also can make your condo allergy free for your family.
Invest in a dehumidifier
One of the easiest ways to prevent condensation is to get a dehumidifier. It is effective and inexpensive. A dehumidifier reduces the humidity indoors and sucks excess moisture in the air. As a result, air quality is improved and dampness is reduced. There are a lot of dehumidifiers available in the market, and most of them are very affordable.
Improve home insulation
One of the long-term solutions to solve condensation problems is to improve insulation in your home. The idea is to keep your walls above the dew point, or when moisture turns into beads of water. Double glazing windows is one way of improving insulation as this would enable windows to stay warmer and reduce the likelihood of condensation.
Condo condensation can affect the quality of condo living, so don’t let it ruin a rainy day by choosing DMCI Homes condos’ Lumiventt technology. Preventing condensation does not require breaking the bank, and in fact, ways to avoid it are fairly easy and simple.
