Condensation indoors

[carlsbergy]

Hi all,

I rent a 2 bedroom first floor flat to a couple, their child and the father's mother. The flat has double glazing with trickle vents in 3 out of five windows. The flat has gas central heating. Someone is always in the flat either with the heating on or occasionally off during the day for a period

They are complaining that the flat is getting damp and condensation is forming in bedrooms and their clothes are getting damp. They dry their clothes in the flat and cook often with a pressure cooker that pushes out big puffs of steam.

I have told them that it is first floor flat so dampness would not rise up to a first floor, open windows more regularly (they claim they do), don't dry clothes in the flat (they claim that other friends of their's dry clothes in a flat and don't get condensation), open the window when cooking, ensure trickle vents are open.

Any other suggestions or am I missing something that could be causing the dampness? The flat also has another flat above.

Thanks

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I think what your tenants are doing is perfectly reasonable, bearing mind the current climate, you can't expect them to hang the washing out and it's been freezing windows open brrrrrrrrr But that will help.
Condensation will be down to the lack of thermal insulation of the external walls. If you can fill the cavity that should solve the problem or in the short term try using a dehumidifier to reduce air moisture. It's not a sure fire fix but worth giving it a go.

 

[JohnD]

They dry their clothes in the flat...(they claim that other friends of their's dry clothes in a flat and don't get condensation),

perhaps their friends have a very draughty house

If they dry 10 kilos of wet washing, and end up with 5 kilos of dry washing, that's 5 litres of water dumped into the flat. they might as well throw a bucket at the wall

If they insist on doing that, the flat will never be dry

Some people just insist on doing it, if they won't stop, there is nothing you can do.

http://www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses

 

[carlsbergy]

Thanks very much guys, John - will print off your article and give to the tenant. Cheers

 

[gday2uk]

Condensation will be down to the lack of thermal insulation of the external walls.

Not entirely, it has to do with the amount of evaporated vapour in the air also. Just becuase you have cold walls doesn't mean you'll definately get condensation.