Preventing Damp In Your Park Home

Park Home Maintenance: Preventing Damp

Problems caused by damp in your park home can be difficult and very expensive to repair, so the best way to deal with damp is to prevent it happening in the first place. Damp is often caused by condensation and the good news is that there are some simple, inexpensive steps that you can take to avoid condensation in your park home.

1. Produce Less Moisture
Activities such as cooking and washing produce moisture, so simple things like keeping the lids on pans while you cook will make a difference. Also, dry clothes outdoors whenever you can. If you have a tumble dryer, then vent it to the outside of your park home. In the winter months, using a commercial tumble dryer at a launderette can be a good investment in keeping your park home dry and avoiding the clutter of washing hanging up in your park home.

2. Increase Ventilation
When cooking or showering, stop moist air getting into the rest of your park home by keeping the kitchen or bathroom door shut and open the window so that the steam goes outside instead.

Also, extractor fans are an effective way to get rid of moist air and steam so that less condensation forms inside your park home. If you don’t already have an extractor fan in the bathroom or kitchen then it’s worth getting them fitted. Modern fans that run on a timer, humidistat or pull-cord typically have a low power rating and are very cost-effective to run.

3. Increase Fresh Air Circulation
Avoid mould forming in still air by improving the air circulation in your park home. Leaving a gap between your furniture and the walls will help as well as giving wardrobes and cupboards a good airing sometimes.

4. Insulate and Draught-Proof your Park Home
Condensation is less of a problem in warm homes than cool ones, so keeping your park home warm and well-insulated will help in the winter months. Your windows and external doors should be draught-proofed, and secondary glazing is an option if your windows are draughty.

5. Remove any Condensation in Your Park Home
You can catch condensation dripping from windows with condensation channels and sponge strips, which are available from DIY shops. Wiping down windows and sills in the morning will also help, but be sure to wring out the cloth rather than dry it on a radiator. In extreme circumstances you may need to invest in a dehumidifier. They are very effective but can be quite costly to run.

Dealing with mould

Black mould can grow in damp areas of a park home and be detrimental to your health. You can use an anti-fungal wash (available from hardware stores and supermarkets) to remove the mould, following the manufacturer’s instructions. You may need to use bleach to remove any staining that persistent mould leaves behind.

Other Causes of Damp

‘Penetrating damp’ is caused by moisture coming into your park home through leaking or cracked pipework or from outside – for example, a damaged roof, blocked guttering or gaps around window frames. All these problems can be remedied and you may want to seek advice from a reputable tradesperson.

Park Homes that are up to 10 years old may be covered by a manufacturers’ warranty scheme. (https://www.platinumseal.co.uk/) Regular maintenance is advised to ensure that the warranty remains valid.

This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of residential park home insurance.  If you would like to speak to an advisor regarding insurance for your park home, please contact our friendly team in our Northampton office on 01604 946 796.

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Published – 14/01/21