Ventilation Survey Services
A Detailed Ventilation Survey Is One Of The Best Investments You Can Make To Keep Your Home Damp And Mould-Free.
Good ventilation is the one of the best investments you can make to keep your home damp and mould-free.
One of the most common reason for mould growth in homes is condensation that form in high humidity areas like bathrooms and kitchen. A good ventilation system physically removes moisture and other pollutants (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, dust and odours) from your home. By minimising moisture and humidity, we can immediately stop the growth of mould.
The obvious areas where ventilation is a must are bathrooms and kitchens.
BATHROOM VENTILATION
Bathrooms and wet rooms generate a lot of humidity, and tend to trap even more moisture since they tend to be enclosed places with small or no windows. It’s common to see extractor fans which extra air and moisture out of the enclosed space and redirects it outside the building.
However, several problems can occur due to:
- Inadequate air flow – The fan might be too small for the size of the room or amount of humidity being generated.
- Improper installation – Faulty ducting, fans being installed to close to the wall or ceiling and location of the exhaust vent can all hinder the ventilation process, leaving moisture trapped in a room.
- Clogged or dirty filters – Irregular cleaning and maintenance creates blockages where dust particles mix with moisture inside the air vent.
- Improper use – Unless the system is automated, we can all forget to turn the fans on. Or we may even actively avoid doing so because of noise issues.
If, despite having an extractor fan, you find build of up of mould and mildew in your bathroom, it’s worth while getting a damp survey done as addressing a ventilation issue now can save you time, energy and money further down the line!
KITCHEN VENTILATION
Kitchens don’t only produce humidity, it also generates smoke, odours and excess heat. Modern kitchens tend to use cooker hoods as a primary form of ventilation. However, there are some common problems that can cause damp and other issues when not addressed quickly:
- Inadequate ventilation capacity – kitchens are one of the most popular rooms to be renovated and extended in modern UK homes, but we forget to upgrade the ventilation system as well! We can end up with a cooker hood that’s simply too small for the space, or positioned ineffectively.
- Improper installation – poor configuration, faulty ducting or electrical faults are common reasons for ineffective ventilation.
- Blockages from grease – cooker hoods kitchen ventilation systems attract grease, dust and moisture, which require regular cleaning to keep the airflow running.
Mould growth in kitchens can pose a serious health issue, particularly black mould spores the produce harmful mycotoxins. If you spot signs of mould in your home, don’t hesitate to book a survey. A simple ventilation upgrade now can save you a migraine (literally, due to mould) later!
LOFT AND BASEMENT VENTILATION
While ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom is essential, cooker hoods and extractor fans are only part of the whole system. You need ventilation across your entire home, especially in those areas we rarely occupy like lofts, roof spaces and underfloor crawlspaces.
When caught early, a lot of damp issue can be repaired and prevented by installing a simple but effective ventilation system throughout your home. Our holistic damp surveys can track not only how moisture travels through your property, but how air flows as well.
Poor ventilation can cost your health.
As well the harmful effects of mould on respiratory health particularly for those with asthma, eczema and other allergy sensitivities, poor ventilation can also expose you and your home to other pollutants beyond damp issues:
- Exposure to harmful gases – ventilation systems don’t only remove moisture, it also removes carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide build up, which can cause headaches, nausea and even poisoning.
- Spread of infections – airborne pathogens that cause colds and flus thrive in stale air. Without adequate airflow through ventilation, you are more susceptible to infections.
- Elevated CO2 levels – high levels of CO2 buildup due to poor ventilation can affect your ability to concentrate and be productive. It makes you feel drowsy and tired and even affect your mood and negatively impacting your mental health over time.
Our ventilation survey report will help you keep damp and mould at bay.
At the first sign of mould growth, we recommend getting a home ventilation survey. It’s the one thing that can make the biggest difference in future-proofing your home against damp issues.
FAQs on Ventilation Surveys
What areas of a property are assessed during a ventilation survey?
We will assess all areas of your home or property where access is possible. The ‘living space’ is checked room by room to establish which areas are well ventilated, and which areas are suffering from moisture build-up and poor ventilation.
Two common ‘hidden areas’ are the loft and underfloor voids. We don’t tend to visit these places in day-to-day life! We also check if these areas can be accessed in anyway so we can do a visual inspection or use special hygrometers to measure environmental readings to establish damp levels. From there, we can tell you if your current ventilation systems are doing the job, or if they need improvement.
How does a ventilation survey help in identifying the causes of condensation and mould?
Condensation is typically caused by high humidity levels in the air meeting cool surfaces forming water droplets. This in turn creates a damp environment in which mould grows and thrives. As such, there are two key factors to consider and test for: humidity, and the temperature of surfaces around the home. Lowering the humidity is the easiest and most effective way to control condensation, and so we look for ways that we can control this.
Depending on the building’s infrastructure, activities undertaken in various areas of the house (e.g. cooking, showering), how often it’s used and naturally aired… we can identify ways to lower humidity levels and prevent condensation and mould growth. One such effective control is ventilation.
What tools and techniques are used in a professional ventilation survey?
As well as expert visual assessment, we also use specialist hygrometers that gives us an accurate reading of humidity levels in the air. We also measure surface temperatures using laser thermometers or thermal imaging giving us a comprehensive view of exactly how these elements are interacting to create damp and condensation.
Can a ventilation survey detect hidden damp problems?
Yes! A ventilation survey often detects damp issues you may not be aware of. You may see symptoms of such as mould or condensation, but the true cause of it can’t be reliably identified without carrying out a thorough survey. For example, you may find mould growth in a bedroom or hallway… but the cause of humidity may actually coming from the bathroom on the other side of the house. Humidity travels to find cool surfaces to settle and form condensation which in turn creates a very friendly environment for mould. Your solution then would be to improve ventilation in the bathroom so humidity can escape before it settles somewhere else in the home.
Ventilation systems are an effective way of control damp. Even for something as deeply penetrating as rising damp, applying underfloor ventilation can be an effective solution as it allows the floorboards and walls to dry naturally by evaporation.
When should you consider a ventilation survey?
At the earliest sign that you see persistent growth of mould and mildew. The root cause of the problem may be simple and the solution no more than giving the air vents a good clean to allow free air flow. However, there could be a more insidious problem below the surface. The earlier you catch it, the less damage there will be on your property!
How much does a ventilation survey cost?
The best thing to do is to get a free quote from us today. Using the form, you can tell exactly what damp issues you’re experiencing and other information about your property. From there, we can send you a written comprehensive quote including our fee, availability and details of the survey.
How long does it typically take to complete a ventilation survey?
Depending on the size of your home and the extent of any damp damage, it typically takes between 2-4 hours. When you request a quote, we will give you a timeframe for the survey as well.
Don’t take our word for it…
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David was very helpful, knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions I threw at him last week, and there were a lot!
His feedback has saved the need for unrequired damp proof course work and will no doubt have saved our house sale from stalling. Thank you, I would have no hesitations in recommending or using David again.
Russell G. Handsworth
(Birmingham)
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With thanks for the report and your work. We will be speaking to the builder about action to try and resolve the problem.
We appreciated your warm approachable manner and your willingness to listen and are grateful that you identified condensation to be the problem after various other attempts to try and identify the damp patch had not been successful.
Rev K
(Tewkesbury)
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Thank you so much for doing our survey. I can’t get over how detailed it is, definitely worth the money. I’m glad to see there isn’t too much wrong and appreciate how thorough you were.
Elecia, whose house it was, said she was so impressed that she will try to hire you herself and you can’t get a better recommendation than that.
Elizabeth and Dennis
(Birmingham)