Creating a dry, comfortable place to live
Betty's Story
Betty self-referred after visiting our advisory stand at a local Housing Day event in Argyll. She had been experiencing persistent condensation throughout the year and was struggling to manage it.
Our advisor arranged a home visit to assess the situation. During the visit, the property was found to be very humid, with condensation present on all windows. However, there were no signs of mould at this stage. Betty told the advisor she was having to wipe down the windows daily to try to control the moisture.
Support and Advice
ALIenergy's Affordable Warmth Assessment indicated that Betty was not ventilating the property by opening windows. This was due to a fear of spiders entering the home. Additionally, Betty was using a Calor gas fire in the living room for supplementary heating, taking daily showers without opening windows for ventilation and drying clothes on the doors most days.
Our advisor explained that these activities collectively produce significant moisture, contributing to the ongoing condensation on the windows.
The advisor provided guidance on how to ventilate the property effectively and emphasized the importance of regular ventilation. Betty was also supplied with a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm, as she did not have one and was unaware of the associated CO risks.
Additional Benefits
By following the advice given, Betty is expected to see improvements in both health and wellbeing. Reducing condensation and humidity in the home can help alleviate chest issues and prevent mould developing, while the CO alarm reduces the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.