The arrival of winter brings with it cosy nights by the fire, snowball fights and mad dash Christmas shopping – but it also means an increase in wet and cold weather, which can result in homes developing damp and mould if the proper precautions haven’t been taken. Not only is it an inconvenient and costly process to repair, damp and mould can also negatively affect your health. So, it’s in everyone’s best interest to avoid the problem all together. But how can you do this? Read on as we go over the causes of mould and damp and how, with infrared heating, you can prevent these from happening this winter.
What causes mould and damp?
Quite simply, mould and damp are caused by excess moisture. When it’s cold outside and humid inside, the cooler areas and surfaces of your home will see an increase in condensation. This can lead to damp forming – you’ll recognise it by dark or discoloured patches on walls, water stains, and mirrors and windows that constantly fog up. If the damp isn’t dealt with, it’ll develop into mould. This isn’t hard to miss – you’ll know it by the unsightly black specks that usually form along skirting boards.
Condensation is also caused by our daily activities – cooking, bathing, drying clothes, even breathing! It’s impossible to avoid, so you can only try and reduce the amount of moisture in your home by keeping it as warm and dry as possible. One of the main ways to do that is through your heating.
The problem with convection heaters
Popular home heating solutions, like gas radiators, are notorious for exacerbating mould and damp. Why? It’s simple – the way they heat. Convection works by heating the surrounding air and circulating it throughout the room. When warm air comes into contact with a colder surface, it cools down and can’t retain all of its moisture – thus releasing as condensation. Central heating also runs the risk of leaks; whether that’s from a leaky boiler or radiator, or cracks and corrosion in your pipework. Left unchecked, leaks can cause permanent damage to your home and result in costly callouts.
So, in order to prevent mould and damp, you need a heating alternative that doesn’t rely on the convection process and a centralised boiler system. Enter infrared heating.
Why infrared heating prevents mould and damp
100% radiant heat
Instead of warming the air like convection heaters, infrared acts as a directional heater: its warmth travels in a wave to heat people, objects and surfaces directly without disturbing air movement. So, because infrared is only concerned with heating surfaces, its warmth sinks deeply into the fabrics of your property, preventing moisture from settling and keeping rooms dry.
Even distribution of warmth
With infrared, every heated surface within that space – including you – re-radiates all absorbed heat back into the room instead of being lost to draughts or ceilings. With no cold spots, there’s no opportunity for condensation to form and comfort levels are maintained consistently.
Improves air quality
Because dust particles aren’t disturbed with infrared heating – unlike with convection heaters – the air you breathe is cleaner. This helps combat allergies and asthma and discourages organic growth, like mould, from forming.
Efficient, all-day warmth
Dramatic increases or decreases in temperature contribute to condensation, so it’s best to maintain temperatures throughout the day instead of relying on heating boosts. Infrared heaters are not only 100% efficient at point of use, the warmth they provide is long-lasting and can be felt long after the heater has stopped drawing power. That way, you can enjoy consistent temperatures without worrying about excess energy usage.
Our top tips for mould and damp prevention this winter
So, now you know how important infrared heaters are for combating damp and mould, let’s get into how exactly you can implement this efficient heating solution throughout your home:
1. Install a mirrored infrared heater in your bathroom
One of the main areas you’ll find condensation is your bathroom. Taking a hot shower and hanging your towels to dry contribute to damp walls and foggy mirrors, so the best way to combat this is with a mirrored panel. Housing its heating element behind its reflective surface, mirrored infrared heaters provide comfortable, radiant warmth while also preventing moisture from settling. For this reason, they’ll also remain fog-free even after the hottest of showers. Win-win!
We recommend: Herschel Select XLS Mirror
2. Place an infrared panel in your kitchen
Your kitchen is another area where you’ll find a lot of condensation. On an average day you’ll find the kettle boiling, the pot on the hob bubbling, and that wave of hot air when opening the oven door. These day-to-day activities are a nightmare for creating excess moisture – over 3 litres of water vapour per day on average! Infrared panels are a great solution for these busy rooms that may struggle with wall space. You could even install one on your ceiling; it’s not only totally discreet, but offers a completely unhindered distribution of heat, so you can effortlessly target damp spots from developing while going about your day.
We recommend: Ecostrad Accent IR | Wall | Ceiling
3. Top up the temperature in unused rooms
There might be certain areas of your home that only see occasional use: think your spare bedroom or conservatory. If you don’t want to go as far as installing a permanent infrared panel in these areas, a portable heater is a great way to provide comfortable warmth and keep damp at bay on a room-by-room basis. Our portable heaters are lightweight and DIY-friendly – simply attach them to the feet provided and plug into a 3-pin socket. Reposition them with ease to maintain temperatures in those neglected areas of your home that are prone to damp and mould.
We recommend: Herschel Select Under Desk
4. Invest in smart heating
The best way to effectively manage your heating and get ahead of mould and damp is through smart control. Pair your infrared heater to an app on your smartphone or home voice assistant and access heat management like never before:
- 24/7 programming – Scheduling your heating to reflect your lifestyle is one of the best ways to manage energy waste. Setting daily and weekly temperatures, enabling energy-saving features and authorising heating zones is all done in one fell swoop. They’re especially useful if you’re ever away during winter!
- Countdown timer – Ideal for set-and-forget heating; set the timer to keep bathrooms toasty while drying towels or to top up the temperatures in those hard-to-heat areas.
- Adaptive start – Pre-heat the infrared heater ahead of schedule so rooms are at prime temperatures exactly when you need it, removing the need for dramatic heating boosts.
- Open window detection – If the heater detects a sudden drop in room temperature, the infrared heater will switch to an energy-saving heat mode to avoid heat loss – this is a great way to avoid moisture from settling after an abrupt temperature change.
We recommend: Ecostrad Opus iQ | Wall | Ceiling
Prevent mould and damp this winter with Infrared Heaters Direct
Whether you opt to deck out your whole home with infrared heating or are just looking to tackle one or two problem areas, our range of infrared panels and bathroom heaters will provide you with comfortable, efficient heating that keeps damp, mould, dry rot and flaking paintwork at bay. For more information about any of our products, get in touch with our friendly sales team or view our full range today.
