Condensation and mould

Leading British ventilation manufacturer, Vent-Axia, will showcase its latest continuous ventilation solutions at this year’s InstallerSHOW at the NEC, Birmingham (27-29 June 2023). Located in the BEAMA1 Village, visitors to Vent-Axia’s stand will be able to discover simple solutions designed to remove the risk to installers when retrofitting ventilation by ensuring compliance with the latest Part F (Means of Ventilation) of the Building Regulations. On show will be a range of continuous ventilation including Vent-Axia’s app-controlled Lo-Carbon Svara, its highly efficient Lo-Carbon NBR dMEV C, and the Vent-Axia PureAir Sense with odour sense technology.

Today’s homes are built to a set of standards, but that wasn’t aways the case with older homes. And as the UK has one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe it means that many houses don’t perform at their best. This could be due to poor insulation leading to drafts. Or it could be that solid walls are cold, leading to damp and black spot mould. Another reason could be a build-up of moisture caused by poor ventilation. Moisture is always present in the air – typically from everyday activities such as cooking and breathing – and without suitable ventilation it is attracted to the colder walls, providing a perfect environment for mould spores to grow.

To many working in social housing - and those living in these properties - it will be evident that there is a problem with a lot of the current housing stock, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Many of these problems relate to damp, condensation and mould, with The English Housing Survey for Housing Quality and Condition¹ claiming that 3.5 million occupied homes were not suitable and did not meet the Decent Homes Standard in 2020, with 4% having serious damp issues.

Leading ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has launched the Lo-Carbon Calido, decentralised mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (dMVHR) unit, to help social housing landlords tackle condensation and mould while reducing energy bills. Offering up to 80% heat recovery the Calido is designed for retrofit properties, allowing landlords to easily install discrete decentralised mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in existing homes, improving indoor air quality and energy efficiency. With pressure on social housing landlords to both tackle condensation and mould in their housing stock, while reducing carbon emissions the Lo-Carbon Calido’s dMVHR is the ideal solution.

Condensation and mould specialists, Airtech Solutions, is offering expert advice and help to social housing providers following the Rt Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, writing to council leaders and social housing providers regarding damp and mould. His letters highlight landlords’ responsibility to take action to protect residents from hazardous damp and mould following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak. As a result, the minister asks both council leaders and social housing providers to treat damp and mould more seriously.

Registered providers asked to give assurance on addressing risks relating to damp and mould in tenants’ homes

Housing associations are under the spotlight following the recent ruling that the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak was caused by black mould in his Rochdale Boroughwide Housing home.

A combination of technology and training can help housing association professionals ensure that their approach to damp and mould reflects the call for ‘zero tolerance’ made by the Housing Ombudsman.

The Property Care Association (PCA), has a carefully curated package of training options available to Housing Association professionals, that can be tailored to suit specific needs.

In addition, the Association can signpost professionals to its newly developed Condensation and Mould Diagnostic System, that can identify the root cause of the issue and provide impartial recommendations to remedy the problem.

Following the introduction of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, there has been a sharp focus on dampness in tenanted buildings, with Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway calling for a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to damp and mould.