Health Articles
DAMP & MOULD CAN SERIOUSLY AFFECT AND DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH
Nov
Does Your Home Suffer Damp in the Winter?
Due to the mostly Sunny and temperate weather that we get here in Spain few homes have proper heating systems installed and tend to rely on gas fires or electric radiators to keep warm and deal with the much colder and wetter winters that we now seem to get.
Over the last few years there has been considerably more rainfall in Spain. Buildings are not traditionally built to withstand this kind of weather.
Rain therefore penetrates and soaks into the walls, creating cold and damp patches which causes condensation and then mould to grow in the winter months.
Even the most expensive villas are only built with single block walls and many without waterproofing added to the rendering. The lack of a damp proof level also means that, even if the outer walls have been waterproofed, homes can still suffer from rising damp.
Many people struggle to get rid of the smell of damp from their homes and, worse still, the resulting mould.
No matter how often the walls are washed and bleached the problem soon returns.
This is because gas and electric heaters use convection to heat the space, warming the air which then circulates in the room. This makes the problem worse as they warm the air condenses on the cold walls creating more moisture and damp issues.
People often try to waterproof the walls by using plasticised or waterproof paints and wonder why this does not stop the problem. The reason is because whilst it may stop damp penetrating the surface of the inside walls, they are still kept colder by the moisture in the walls and the mould grows from the persistent condensation that forms on them.
As the weather warms up, it can then take several months for the walls to dry out properly and the problem to disappear until the following Autumn.
SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES
The worst thing about this problem is that exposure to spores from mould can cause serious health problems, especially in children, the elderly and those suffering with asthma and other bronchial problems.
Spain has seen a big increase in cases of Asthma and other chest related infections which, in a lot of cases, can be linked back to damp living conditions and mould.
HOW INFRARED PANELS CAN HELP TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM?
FAR Infrared heaters radiate heat, penetrating and warming the walls, objects and people in the room directly. This helps to keep them warm and dry preventing condensation forming and mould from growing.
To find out more about how FAR infrared heaters can help you keep your home warm, dry and mould free contact us.
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