According to NHS England, living with damp and mould can have a significant impact on your health. You are more likely to experience respiratory problems, infections, allergies or asthma and it can also affect your immune system.
NHS England suggests that some people can be more sensitive than others including:
- Babies & children
- Elderly people
- Those with existing skin conditions
- Those with respiratory problems such as allergies and asthma
- Those with weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy
- These people are advised to stay away from damp and mould.
How do you know your health is being affected?
You may be experiencing symptoms not too dissimilar to the common cold such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. You may also experience itching and irritation. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.
That is somewhat worrying. My friend recently had additional insulation laid in their loft, believing this would have a positive impact on their home and energy bills. Frustratingly as a result of this, they have experienced an increase in condensation, and have seen black mould grow around windows, and on external walls of their home. This is causing great concern, as her Son is asthmatic.
Whilst there are sprays that report to be able to remove the mould, these need to be deployed regularly to keep the area free from mould and can cause damage to furnishings and wall coverings due to the high bleach content they contain.
What causes black mould?
According to Ideal Home, in its simplest form, damp is caused by condensation. As the temperature falls, condensation rises, creating moisture on windows each morning which will eventually cause mould and damp.
Leaking pipes, wastes and overflows, rising damp and water penetration are also leading causes of damp in the home.
The way that we use our homes can also be a contributing factor. For example:
- when cooking do you always use an extractor fan?
- Do you put the lids on your pans to save energy and prevent the steam from escaping?
- Do you dry your clothes outdoors?
- Do you ventilate your home on a daily basis?
If you answered no to these questions, these may well be contributing factors to your damp and mould issue.
Cold external walls and windows are often hot spots for condensation and mould. This is because with traditional convection heating, the air carries a lot of moisture. When the heated air meets a cold surface, this moisture appears in the form of water droplets (condensation) as it is cooled. This provides the ideal environment for mould to form and thrive.
How can infrared heating help?
Far infrared heating, heats the fabric of the building and the contents within it, including you. It very quickly builds thermal mass within those objects. Once the room is to temperature the heating system switches off and the temperature is then maintained for a time, due to the secondary infrared heating that is being emitted from those objects and the walls floor and ceiling. This method of heating is extremely efficient.
Radiant heat penetrates the fabric of the building and continues to warm even after the heating is turned off, it therefore eliminates localised damp.
Because the windows and external walls (which are the worst locations for mould to form) are also heated along with the rest of the home, condensation is less likely to form there as the environment is not cool enough to condense the water droplets from the air. Essentially it doesn't provide the environment required for condensation and mould to form.
How safe is far infrared heating?
Far infrared heating is 100% safe. The human body is designed to accept and emit infrared since our natural source of heat is the sun. This probably goes a way to understanding why the comfort levels experienced by our clients are particularly high. Some even report feeling comfortable at lower than average temperatures.
In addition and as the air is heated secondary to the fabric and objects within a space, the air does not move as it does in a traditionally heated space. Traditional convection heating churns up dust allergens and harmful particles and circulates it throughout the room as the heated air rises and falls. This means that the air you breathe in a space heated by far infrared feels fresh and clean.
One client with severe COPD has reported a noticeable increase in comfort since switching to an Eco Heatwave heating system from electric radiators. This same client used to have their temperature set to 25°C but now feels comfortable at 21°C which will not only have a huge impact on their energy bills but it also goes a way to reducing carbon emissions.
Another client reports turning down their thermostat from 21°C to 18°C and the previous damp and mould issues they suffered within the home have been eliminated.
Get in touch
We'd love for you to experience the warmth and the clean fresh air sensation provided by Eco Heatwave. To find out more, receive a quotation or book your experience please email sales@ecoheatwave.com or call us on 01472 923058
