If you live in the UK or any other country where rain is persistent throughout most of the year, dampness in your home might be a problem you face on a daily basis. Many people expect to find damp spots in a bathroom, kitchen or living room, however, one of the places where you might not think to check for dampness is the conservatory.
The abundance of windows and the fact conservatories are often seen as an extension of the building rather than part of it, can lead people to overlook this room when damp proofing their property.
Now, you might be asking yourself how to deal with dampness in a conservatory? In this article we’ll give you our expert tips on how to eliminate condensation and dampness in a conservatory.
What Can Cause Dampness in a Conservatory?
In order to get to the solution, the first thing we have to establish is what can cause dampness to form in a conservatory.
Damp can take on various forms and come from different sources. Depending on the type of conservatory you have you might even be dealing with multiple types of dampness.
If your conservatory features a low brick wall below the glasswork, for example, it’s highly likely that you are dealing with rising damp. This type of damp seeps into your home from the moisture in the ground around the foundation of your property.
Improper insulation or cutting corners during the building process can cause moisture to travel via capillary action into yout masonry. This results in unwanted dampness in your walls that can only worsen during the rainy seasons and have a negative effect on the structure of your home.
Another way that damp can spread in your conservatory is through condensation that is set within the room. Such an environment can provide the perfect conditions from damp to spread through your extension and potentially to the rest of your house if not addressed properly.
Contrary to rising and penetrating damp, condensation is a product of your actions and taking into consideration how much heat is usually trapped in a conservatory, it’s certainly a room where condensation can build up really easily.
Persistent condensation can lead to mildew and mould, which is why it’s essential to keep an eye on the walls in your conservatory, and prevent condensation and damp from forming.
How to Prevent Condensation in a Conservatory?
The most foolproof way of dealing with dampness anywhere in your home is by ensuring that it can’t develop in the first place. There are various ways to prevent condensation from developing in your home, this includes:
- Ventilation– Leave the window in your conservatory slightly ajar during the day to help ventilate the room. If your budget allows for it you can also consider installing an extractor fan or roof vent to help with air circulation around the room.
- Condensation Traps – Condensation traps are an inexpensive and effective way to keep condensation at bay. These useful tools capture moisture in the air and prevent it from condensing when it hits your windows.
- Dehumidifier – A dehumidifier works by drawing air in and extracting the moisture from it. This is one of the most effective low-cost ways to keep your conservatory safe from condensation.
- No Laundry – You may think your conservatory couldn’t be more perfect for drying laundry, however, the moisture from your drying clothes will increase the risk of condensation. If you don’t want problems with condensation we would advise to avoid drying clothes in your conservatory.
Finding a Permanent Solution
Of course taking precaution against condensation is only a partial solution. If you’re dealing with rising dampness, a dehumidifier will frankly not be enough.
The best way to permanently get rid of dampness in your conservatory is making sure your house is breathable so no dampness can escape from the ground and enter the building through the masonry.
A long-term solution is putting in place a damp proof membrane that can allow your building to breathe without letting in any dampness. If you’re looking for a liquid damp proofing membrane that is easy to apply then Intelligent Membranes has the perfect solution for your needs. At intelligentmembranes.com you will find a range of products that will help eliminate dampness in your home and protect your building.