Mould in our homes is an increasingly serious issue for people who are concerned with their own personal health as well as the structural integrity of their property.
Mould is not only a housing maintenance issue. It can damage walls, furnishings and finishes, reduce indoor air quality and affect the health of the people living with it, particularly those with respiratory conditions.
So what causes it, and could the way we heat our homes play a part?
Moisture, airflow and cold surfaces
Mould commonly develops where moisture, poor airflow and cold surfaces come together.
Warm air inside a home can hold significant amounts of moisture from everyday activities such as cooking, showering and drying clothes. When that warm, humid air reaches a sufficiently cold surface, condensation can form.
This is why mould is often found around cold external walls, corners, windows and behind large pieces of furniture where air movement is restricted.
Ventilation and controlling excess humidity are extremely important, but surface temperature also matters.
Reducing cold spots through more even heating
Traditional radiators concentrate heat in relatively small areas of a room. The air immediately around the radiator becomes warm first, while surfaces further away – particularly external walls and corners – can remain considerably cooler.
Underfloor heating approaches the room differently.
One of the many benefits of Underfloor heating systems is a knock on effect of how it heats the room. Systems such as Wunda Rapid Response spreads heat across a much larger floor area, helping to create a more even distribution of warmth throughout the occupied space and reducing pronounced hot and cold areas that occur with more concentrated heat emitters like radiators.
By helping to maintain more consistent temperatures around the room, including the surfaces within it, there is less opportunity for particularly cold spots to develop where condensation can occur.
Heating is only part of the solution
Underfloor heating cannot solve an underlying damp problem, remove excess moisture or replace appropriate ventilation. Leaks, penetrating damp, inadequate ventilation and other building defects should be properly identified and addressed.
But creating a warmer and more evenly heated environment can form an important part of reducing that risk. Other preventative methods include keeping a gap between furniture and cold external walls for instance. Good airflow around furniture helps to prevent warm humid air becoming trapped against cold wall surfaces. As well as making the areas more accessible for cleaning when necessary.