Heating is one of the first things people think to cut down on when saving money during the cost-of-living crisis. This has obvious negative effects, such as being cold, but one consequence you might not have considered is an increase in mould around your home.
People have sadly been finding this out the hard way as searches for “how to get rid of mould” have quadrupled since the beginning of November.
Mould is usually caused by condensation in the home, which is more common in high moisture rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens, but it can also usually occur around windows too. If surfaces fall below a certain temperature, known as the dew point, then water droplets will form. This creates the perfect conditions for mould to grow.
Mould releases spores and other volatile organic compounds into the air, these can cause a number of problems if inhaled or touched such as respiratory illnesses, allergies, infections or asthma. In rare cases inhaled spores can start to grow in the lungs which can be life threatening.
As well as health problems, mould can cause property damage, which in the long run could be more costly than putting on heating.
To deal with mould, it is advised that you prevent condensation build-up by opening windows and taking shorter showers. You could also invest in a dehumidifier ,which is cheaper to run than heating, and there are various sprays available which are very effective a killing problematic patches of mould.
