As the weather cools and heating costs rise, many students face an unwelcome pair of housemates: damp and mould. Historically, these were signs of poor housing construction. Today, in modern or recently refurbished student housing, they are usually caused by how occupants use the space or by maintenance issues that go unreported.
It’s vital for your health and your bank balance (your deposit!) to understand, prevent, and treat these issues. Here is a simple guide to what damp and mould are, how they occur, and the easy steps you can take to keep your shared student house healthy and clean.
What’s the Difference Between Damp and Mould?
Damp refers to the presence of excess moisture within a room or building material. It’s a serious problem because it can damage a building’s structure, causing wallpaper to peel and plaster to blister. If left untreated, damp is the perfect breeding ground for mould.
Mould is a type of fungus that thrives in these wet, damp conditions. It reproduces by releasing tiny spores that often appear as black or green patches on walls, ceilings, or fabrics. These spores can contain harmful toxins, posing a health hazard with long-term exposure. Certain people are more susceptible to the health implications; you can find more information on the NHS website.
In short, damp is the cause, and mould is the visible, often harmful effect.
The Three Types of Damp to Look For
Not all damp is created equal. Understanding the cause is the first step in knowing who is responsible for fixing it—you or your landlord.
1. Penetrating Damp: The Landlord’s Problem
What it is: This is the most common type of damp in rented properties. It occurs when rainwater penetrates through the external masonry (bricks and mortar) of the building.
What causes it: The most frequent culprits are structural faults. These include:
Broken or blocked guttering and downpipes, which cause water to pour down the walls.
Cracks or damage to the external brickwork or rendering.
Gaps around window and door frames, allowing water ingress.
How to spot it: On the outside, look for damp spots, visible damage to mortar, or moss growth. Inside, you might notice a damp smell, blistering plaster, or patches of mould forming on external walls. This type of damp will require investigation and remedial building work to stop the water from entering the property.
2. Rising Damp: The Older House Issue
What it is: This type is generally found in older houses and ground-floor properties that lack an effective damp-proof course (DPC). It happens when groundwater works its way up through the bricks by capillary action.
How to spot it: Look for clear damp marks on the walls, typically appearing a few inches above the skirting boards. Paint or wallpaper may be peeling off, and the carpet might look dirty or darker right at the edge. Rising damp carries salts that can cause significant damage to the walls.
Action needed: Rising damp is rare in modern or newly refurbished student housing due to installed DPCs. If you suspect it, it is a serious structural issue that requires specialist building work by your landlord to remedy.
3. Condensation: The Occupant’s Challenge
What it is: This is the type of damp most often caused by the tenant. Condensation occurs when excess moisture inside the air touches a cold surface, such as a windowpane or an external wall
. The moisture turns back into liquid water, creating damp patches.
What causes it: It is found mainly in rooms where heat and water mix, like the kitchen and bathroom. Everyday activities create moisture:
Cooking (steam from boiling water).
Showering or bathing (steam).
Drying wet laundry indoors.
Condensation is a temporary source of moisture and is generally the easiest type of damp to prevent and rectify.
How to Prevent Damp in Your Student Housing
Preventing rising and penetrating damp is entirely the landlord’s responsibility and should be reported to them immediately. Preventing condensation, however, is down to you. The key is to reduce moisture in the air and increase ventilation.
In the Kitchen 🍳
The kitchen is a steam factory. Take these easy steps to manage the moisture you create:
Cook Smart: Use pan lids when cooking and turn the heat down once the water has boiled. This traps steam and saves energy.
Ventilate: When cooking, always use the extractor fan (if fitted) or open a window. This also helps reduce cooking smells.
Contain the Steam: Keep the kitchen door closed while cooking. This prevents moisture from escaping into and spreading through the rest of the property, where it can hit colder walls.
Kettle Placement: Don’t place electric kettles directly underneath cupboards, as the steam will build up and condense on the cold cupboard base.
In the Bathroom 🚿
Showers and baths produce a huge amount of steam that needs to escape:
Closed Door Policy: Keep the bathroom door closed when showering or bathing to stop moisture from moving into your hallways and bedrooms.
Extract and Exhaust: Run the extractor fan during and after showering. When finished, open the window to let the excess moisture escape outside.
Bath Water Trick: Run the cold water first, then add the hot water when filling the bath. This reduces the amount of steam and, therefore, condensation build-up.
Throughout the Rest of the Property 🏠
Good air circulation across the whole house is the best defence against condensation:
Air Circulation Time: For thirty minutes each day, open a window on all floors and open all interior doors. This creates a cross-breeze and helps air circulate throughout the property, flushing out stale, moist air.
No Radiator Drying: Do not hang wet washing over radiators to dry. The heat simply forces the moisture from the clothes into the air inside the room.
Drying Clothes: Hang washing outside if possible. If you must dry indoors, use the bathroom with the door closed and the window open to direct the moisture escape.
Vents and Ventilation: If your walls have air vents, never block them with furniture or other items. Air needs to flow freely through them to help ventilate the property.
Tumble Dryers: If you have a normal vented tumble dryer, check that its vent is not blocked and has access to the outside. Condenser dryers, however, do not need an outside vent.
Constant Temperature: Try to keep the temperature of the house relatively constant (even if low) to avoid cold spots where condensation can form. Keeping internal doors shut also helps stop moisture from moving around.
Remember that with any rental, keeping your landlord informed of repairs is part of your tenancy agreement responsibility. If you see signs of penetrating or rising damp, report it straight away!
About Thornsett Properties: Your Student Housing Experts
Thornsett Properties has been providing high-quality, modern student accommodation in Sheffield since 1985. We house over 650 undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at Sheffield University and Sheffield Hallam University every year. As property owners, not agents, all our properties are managed by us. We aim to help you succeed in our student housing in Sheffield. View Our Properties
