Mould and dampness are a problem not only occurred in old dwellings but can also become an issue in modern dwellings which have poorly designed and installed ventilation.

The major cause for mould growth in old dwellings is when warm stale air meets cold surfaces and the water vapour condenses. Over time this leads to damp walls which are the perfect breeding ground for mould spores to grow. Generally, the crux of this problem stems from the lack of ventilation allowing fresh air into the property whilst expelling the stale moisture laden air.

There is a close link between these issues and fuel poverty. Often home owners and tenants who are in a poor financial situation will not open windows and block off ventilators to keep the warm air within the property to try and reduce the heating costs of their homes.

This in laymen’s terms seems like an obvious solution to help the problem, in fact it causes further, more serious problems both for the occupiers in terms of health as well as issues which can eventually undermine the fabric of the building itself.

There is a vast lack of knowledge and education with home owners and occupiers and the construction industry as a whole need to address these issues if we wish to meet government targets for reduction in carbon footprints.

The problems do not only lie with older housing stock but can be an issue with new dwellings where strict regulations are forcing builders to construct houses with low air permeability and insufficient fans either by poor design or without proper testing and regulation on site. I believe in the mantra of build tight ventilate right. This is a tried and tested method, with air tightness tests carried out at vapour barrier stage indicating to what level the dwelling is sealed which in turn allows the ventilation system to be checked and redesigned if required before any installation saving time and costs at completion and creating a better quality building.

In the end problems can occur in both old and new properties and the only solution to prevent the darkness is to educate design teams, tradesman and more importantly the end users as to the importance of ventilation within our homes.

Condensation appears in homes due to a lack of heat and adequate ventilation. As we spend more time indoors and make our properties more air tight and energy efficient the build-up of moisture and humidity levels increase.

There are some simple steps that can be taken to help prevent this happening.

Air permeability testing, often known as air tightness testing, air leakage or air pressure testing plays an important part in establishing the energy performance of new dwellings.

Air permeability testing was introduced to Section 6 of the Scottish Building Regulations and became mandatory in 2011.

The purpose of the air permeability test is to check the construction of the building once completed complies with the designed parameters. The air test helps identify any possible air leakage that may cause cold draughts within the house and mean not only that the dwelling is not as comfortable as the intended design but that it will also loose heat and be less energy efficient than the proposed design causing larger heating bills for the home owner or tenant.

Air leakage (Q50) is measured in m³/h/m² this is effectively the amount of air measured in cubic metres that passes through the leaks within the external insulation envelope of the house every hour.

The architect or designer will set a Q50 target for the dwelling at the design stage, this is used to calculate the whole house energy performance through the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) which in turn creates the dwellings Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) on completion of the build.

A general rule of thumb for design gives an allowance for between 5 – 7 m³/h/m² for natural ventilation with intermittent extract fans,

Air permeability measured between 3-5 m³/h/m² requires a decentralised ventilation system or passiv ventilation.

Once the measured air permeability goes below 3 m³/h/m² it is essential that a full house ventilation system is designed and installed to provide adequate fresh air to the occupants and building fabric to prevent build-up of condensation within the dwelling.

2021 will see Stairhill turn 30yrs old and for this landmark occasion we have decided to give back.

We are going to be running a series of challenges and events with the aim to raise £30k for 30yrs of business.

We have chosen 3 charities that all do great work and have personal meanings to the whole team.

The Ayrshire Hospice

MS Society

Cancer Research

The aim is to raise £10k for each charity

Our first challenge being undertaken is the 3 Peaks Challenge in 24hrs. We are aiming for the end of May with dates TBC nearer the time.

Other events will include a sky dive however before I shall be allowed to through myself from a plane, I will require to lose a few of the festive pounds.

This will be a challenge within itself with a target of around 15kg to lose.

If anybody would like to sponsor us or help in the fundraising efforts, please get in touch or head over to our sponsorship page https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/Stairhill30kfor30yrs