Cold And Mould

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As temperatures drop further, mould in UK homes begins to grow with 58% of people in the UK experiencing mould in their homes at some point in time. Uswitch Energy has produced the Mouldy Nation Report.

Uswitch looked at the prevalence of mould across local authorities, the experiences and feelings of residents towards mould in their homes – and the habits that may be contributing to mould.

Key findings from the study:

• 63% of those who've experienced mould were tenants in privately rented, local authority, housing association or student accommodation.

• In the last two years, 69% have put the heating on less due to cost. Of these people, over half (54%) believe that mould has become more of a problem in their homes because of this.

• 67% of people believe that mould is the landlord's responsibility when found in rented accommodation.

• Heating the home was a financial struggle for 57% of people when they experienced mould in their home.

• 38% believe that UK properties are not suitably built to prevent mould.

How to prevent mould

The study discovered there is a high percentage of people doing simple things around the home that contribute to mould growth.

Fixing the problem

Ben Galizzi, Uswitch energy expert, says: “Living in a mouldy home is not only an unpleasant experience but one that is potentially dangerous for our health. Yet so many of us have lived with mould at some time in our lives.

“Whether you’re a tenant or homeowner, tackling mould can be an ongoing issue if the root cause isn’t rectified. But with so many properties being poorly insulated and ventilated and energy costs rising, keeping mould at bay is a difficult task.

“Reasonable steps should be taken by both landlords and tenants to make sure mould is tackled head-on. This could mean that tenant habits need to change within the home, whilst larger projects to fix the building are worked on by the landlord.

“Keeping a home warm, especially in winter, whilst still ensuring proper ventilation will help tremendously with preventing mould, so compare energy deals to see if there might be a suitable fixed tariff on offer that you could switch to.”

To read the report – Click Here

Picture: Everyone in the window business knows that a lack of ventilation will cause mould to grow in homes especially if they are cold and condensation forms.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
31st December 2023

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