Condensation has become an increasingly serious problem since houses have become better sealed by double glazing, non-breathable floor coverings and various other heat saving measures. The result of this is that all the moisture generated by the people within the house is trapped and held within the air, and once the moisture levels are high enough and the air temperature low enough, the moisture will start to condense onto colder surfaces.
This has become a particular headache for landlords as tenants will, quite rightly, complain if the wall become blackened by mould or the windows run with water every morning. However, in many cases the problem does not lie with the fabric of the building but with the lifestyle of the occupants. This needs to be explained to the tenant and a plan put in place to overcome the problem, but firstly a correct diagnosis is required.
Tennyson Surveying are able to offer a comprehensive survey that will inspect the whole property to ascertain if it is indeed condensation that is causing the problem or if other problems are to blame. If it appears to be condensation, then by using a range of surveying equipment, we are able to gather evidence that it is indeed the problem and that will help with discussion with the tenants and Environmental Health, should it have gone that far.
In some more serious situations, or indeed if a belt and braces approach is required, then I can offer a data logger system, which will sit in the house for a number of days and log the temperature and the humidity throughout a normal 24 hour period rather than when a survey is under way and doors and windows are open. Quite often up to three can be deployed around the house and the evidence that they give is incontravertable as they will show the amount of time each day that the moisture wit
hin the air is below dew point and thus able to condense out onto cold surfaces. This can then be used to form a suitable way forward between landlord and tenant.
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