Increased humidity in the house: how to deal with it. Options for how to get rid of dampness in a room Damp room, how to get rid of dampness

Quite often, owners of apartments and private houses have to deal with the appearance of mold. In this regard, they want to find the most effective ways remove fungus at home. In this article we will tell our readers about what types of fungi can grow in a living space, the reasons for their formation, how to get rid of dampness in the house and what products are best suited for such purposes.

So how to deal with mold in the house? If you notice white formations in the corners or on the walls that look like cotton wool or fluff, you should immediately find the cause of the development of microorganisms. If you ignore this sign, after some time you will see how gray, yellowish, purple or pink shades. It will be very difficult to get rid of such mold in the future.

There can be several types of mold in the home.

The white house fungus actively destroys the structure of wood. It is capable of changing color, creating cracks, drying out the base.

Blue fungi. This variety is also often found on wood. Microorganisms can even destroy the structure of dense coatings that are applied to the surface wooden products– varnish, paint. After this, moisture will penetrate into the product itself. The colony of these fungi has a bluish gray tint.

Rotting fungus. This variety can be dry or wet.

The wet type will actively attack wood, which is usually located near the ground, sewer or drainage pipes. Such areas quickly become loose and rotten, on which dark elements appear.

Dry fungus grows on walls and corners due to high humidity. A reddish-colored pollen will appear on the surface. The tree will be destroyed by gray stripes.

There is also black and white mold. It appears not only on wood, but on almost any surface - stone, tile, plastic, tile, glass.

Actinomycetes are spores that soften wood and cellulose fibers. Within a few years, this type of fungus can destroy a structure.

In addition to the fact that these pathogenic microorganisms are capable of destroying many various materials, they also negatively affect human or animal health. This is the reason why you need to know how to get rid of mold in your home. However, before you remove the fungus, you need to find out the reason for its appearance. This will help prevent further growth of mold after removing it.

Video “Fighting dampness”

From the video you will learn how to deal with such an unpleasant phenomenon as mold.

Reasons for appearance

First of all, owners should know how fungus appears in the house. Knowing the real causes of this problem, you can speed up the process of cleaning any surface, as well as prevent the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms in advance.

The main reason for signs of mold to appear is dampness in the house. It is very difficult to fight the fungus, since its spores are found almost everywhere and spread very quickly. As soon as favorable conditions for the development of microorganisms appear, mold will begin to grow on any surface: on the foundation, wood, plastic, tiles, wallpaper. Fungus on walls and ceilings is a common occurrence if the microclimate in residential premises is disturbed.

In rooms where moisture constantly accumulates and does not have time to dry, fungus will almost always appear. In wooden houses this can be a very big problem, since the roof and base are made of wooden beam. If mold has grown there, then over time it can disrupt its structure, which will lead to deformation of the main parts of the building. Therefore, you need to quickly get rid of the colony of microorganisms.

The floor covering becomes damp very quickly, as do the walls. In general, dampness is often found in the lower levels of a home. If it is a multi-story building, then on the first two floors.

Such places are a very favorable environment for the development of colonies of fungi and toxic spores.

There is another reason why dampness appears - lack or poor ventilation of the room. IN small rooms often bred houseplants that require constant care and watering. If you don't have access to them sunlight or the room is not regularly ventilated, mold will not be long in coming. Homeowners may also use humidifiers incorrectly. This is why mold appears on the walls of the house.

Dealing with mold in your home can be a huge challenge as the spores will remain indoors all the time. For effective destruction Such microflora should be known how to get rid of dampness in the house.

How to get rid of under the floor in a wooden house?

For any surfaces or products that are made of wood, the appearance of fungus can be disastrous. How to get rid of dampness in a house if there are a lot of wooden elements in it?

Before looking for ways to destroy mold, you should determine the cause of its formation. In the new wooden house mold does not appear immediately, since the material itself for construction is used exclusively dry, and is also treated with special solutions and impregnation. This reliably protects the structure from mechanical damage and exposure to microorganisms. However, if you see damp material (for example, in an old attic or cellar).

How to remove mold from wooden surface? Only by eliminating the real cause of its appearance will it be possible to completely remove mold from walls, ceilings or any other surface. Otherwise, the owners will encounter it again and again (possibly in new places).

Wet cleaning in this case will not be a sufficient measure. Removing visible and contaminated areas does not guarantee 100% results.

The first step is to remove the plaque that is on the surface. Brute force may be required in some places. For example, if the wood is completely rotten, it must be removed with a plane or an ax. Items that cannot be cleaned should be thrown away and then removed from the house. It is strongly recommended to remove the soil under floor covering. If fungus was found on the walls or floor, this may indicate that the ground under the house is contaminated with spores. How to remove mold in this case? To clean the area, you will need to treat it with a special solution. You can use dry clay, limestone, cement and crushed stone (it can be replaced with expanded clay).

It is very important to ensure good ventilation in this area.

Wood treatment solutions

How to get rid of fungus in the house using special means? Wood can be cleaned and treated using an antiseptic primer. She is considered the most effective drug among all means. The primer actively destroys spores and microorganisms and prevents the appearance of new affected areas. This drug has an affordable price.

The cleaned area should be provided with regular ventilation for several days.

You can clean mold in your home using bleach, as it helps get rid of organic matter and spores. Bleach can be replaced with vinegar.

Areas with fungus can be cleaned using baking soda, ammonia, sodium fluoride. First, you should thoroughly rinse the surface, dry it, and then treat it with the selected product.

If you know that dampness in your home periodically appears during a certain season, then you should find out in advance how to get rid of it and its possible consequences.

How to get rid of the floor in a private house

How to get rid of dampness in a private home if mold appears on the floor?

Destruction of mold in a private home requires more time than this procedure would take in an apartment. Typically, in such a situation, there is much more area to inspect and look for signs of mold.

If you find signs of mold or mildew on the floor, you can use one of the special preparations or potent active agents.

For humans, normal humidity is 40-60%. At higher humidity levels, there is a risk of developing chronic colds and skin diseases, and fungi, which develop intensively in damp rooms, cause bronchial asthma.

Due to dampness, condensation forms on the ceiling, walls and windows, wet spots, mold and bad smell, furniture and equipment deteriorate. Wet structures of residential buildings quickly collapse: stone and concrete crumble, metal ones corrode, and wooden ones rot. To extend the life of a house, you need to protect it from the harmful effects of moisture by creating effective system waterproofing.

Why does moisture form?

Moisture enters the room both from inside and outside. The main thing is to discover its source. To protect your home from dampness, you need to periodically inspect it, paying attention to areas where moisture may accumulate, as well as possible places of its penetration.

We are talking about waterproofing the basement, the tightness of window and door frames, junctions of pipes and antennas on the roof, the integrity of the roof and drainage system.

Also, moisture in residential premises is formed as a result of human activity. By cooking food, watering plants, washing clothes and taking a shower, we increase the humidity in the air. A family of 4 produces up to 10 liters of water in the form of steam every day.

If excess moisture is not removed using natural ventilation, the house will become deteriorated. humidity conditions and fungal spores in the air will begin to multiply and create entire colonies in warm and poorly ventilated areas. This process becomes avalanche-like if the humidity exceeds 70% and the temperature exceeds 15°C.

Before you start fighting dampness, you need to determine the humidity level in the room. To do this, you can purchase a hygrometer - a device that shows the percentage of humidity. If the device shows increased content humidity, you need to move on to the next step - identifying the source and eliminating the problem. There can be several reasons for the appearance of humidity in the house.

Poor foundation waterproofing

Groundwater can rise to a height of up to 1.5 m. In this case, it is blocked by horizontal waterproofing of the foundation. If there is no such waterproofing, soil moisture penetrates the walls of the building. Its traces can be seen above the baseboard inside the house, on damaged wallpaper and collapsed plaster at the bottom of the wall, in damp and moldy corners.

To avoid the consequences of poor foundation waterproofing, you need to provide additional waterproofing or create it from scratch if it was not taken care of during construction. When a house is built without a basement, horizontal waterproofing is usually placed on top of the foundation plinth, which protects the walls from capillary penetration of moisture. If this is not done in a timely manner, you will have to dig a trench around the house, clean the walls of dirt and make vertical waterproofing of the foundation (roll or coating).

Poor basement waterproofing

Poor basement waterproofing can lead to not only wet walls, but also a flooded basement. Usually its walls are made of concrete or brick, and they are combined with strip foundation. Groundwater, in contact with the surface of walls that have a porous structure, penetrates inside and becomes a source of dampness and mold both in the basement and in the rooms above it.

To eliminate these phenomena, you should waterproof the floor, ceiling and walls of the basement, having previously cleaned them of fungus and mold and disinfected them with a special solution that prevents the appearance of organic deposits, and rub the seams with cement mortar.

If there are obvious leaks in the walls, they must be eliminated by applying quick-hardening compounds, or injection waterproofing must be performed. For further processing walls and ceilings, it is necessary to use anti-salt barriers, penetrating (penetrating) impregnations and water repellents related to coating repair materials.

To re-waterproof the outside, you will have to dig out the backfill of the foundation. From lateral penetration of moisture, the basement walls, both outside and inside, are insulated with two layers of hot bitumen or cold bitumen mastic. In addition to coating materials, roll waterproofing materials (roofing felt, polymer membranes) are used on the outside, laying them from bottom to top on heated resin or bitumen with a 15 cm overlap of panels. Protect rooms buried in the ground from groundwater It is also possible with the help of drainage.

Having processed the walls, we proceed to the basement floor. A clay castle is built over the entire area, compacted and covered with a layer of sand or crushed stone, after which cement mortar and iron are applied. In the future, it will be possible to put on a waterproof adhesive composition ceramic tiles. Painted waterproofing is used for the ceiling, and, if necessary, it is insulated.

Incorrect blind area around the house

Due to improper arrangement of the blind area, some of the atmospheric precipitation and household water penetrate into the basement. personal plot. The only way to solve the problem once and for all is to redo the blind area. It should have a slope from the house of 2-3 degrees and a standard width of 70-80 cm, but in any case be 20 cm wider than the overhang of the eaves, so that water flowing from the roof does not erode the soil near the building.

After backfilling the foundation pockets, clay is placed on top of the base of the blind area so that moisture from the surface of the earth does not reach the foundation walls. The clay layer is covered with gravel and sand, compacted, and then covered with paving slabs or filled with cement mortar. If the basement is insulated, the blind area also needs to be insulated. In this case, extruded polystyrene foam is placed under the slabs around the entire perimeter of the house.

Malfunction of the drainage system

The main reason for this phenomenon is clogging or destruction drainpipe or gutters. In this case rainwater gets on the walls and they get wet.

To protect walls from moisture, cement-based plasters, mastics, waterproof mineral mixtures and water repellents are used. The latter significantly reduce the consumption of paint and varnish and impregnating materials, and coatings formed by paints on water based, impart water-repellent properties. In addition to water repellents, bituminous waterproofing plasters, which protect against the harmful effects of water, and vapor-permeable plasters, which help to avoid dampness on load-bearing walls, are widely used.

Special “drying” plasters are also used. Evaporation occurs inside the plaster layer, and the surface remains dry. In addition, the precipitation of salts does not spoil appearance coating and does not destroy the plaster. You can protect the facade of the house with waterproof finishing materials: vinyl siding, stone-effect tiles, PVC hanging panels. It is important that between finishing and load-bearing wall there was a ventilation gap.

Insufficient or improper insulation of walls and violation of the integrity of the roof

Due to the difference between external and internal temperatures, condensation appears on the wall surface. Getting rid of condensation on the walls is simple: you need to insulate the building from the outside. This will increase the thickness of the walls, and the dew point will shift inside the structure. With sufficient thermal protection, condensation under conditions high humidity air, as a rule, is not formed. This is only possible if it heats up quickly or the heating is not turned on in a timely manner.

Increased humidity can also be observed with improper insulation, when water vapor cannot be removed outside. This means they accumulate indoors and in the structure of the building. In addition, a leaking roof causes the walls and ceilings of the house to become wet.

As for the roof, its leaking areas should be repaired by replacing damaged elements with intact ones, installing a patch (for metal roofs), as well as using treatment with coating waterproofing materials.

When insulating walls, you need to follow the technology and sequence of work, and not replace some materials with others. The order of laying materials is subject to the principle: the vapor permeability of the layers should increase from the inside to the outside. Then the moisture can escape freely without accumulating in the room.

Insufficient or incorrect ventilation

As a result of insufficient ventilation, stale air, excessive humidity and condensation appear, resulting in damp corners, damp walls and foggy windows. Ventilation is so important that its quantitative characteristics have the force of law and are prescribed in Building codes and rules (SNiP). Every hour a person needs at least 30 m3 of fresh air.

High-quality ventilation is the key to comfortable living. But since sealed double-glazed windows and monolithic concrete began to be used in construction, the house has become like a vessel that does not allow air to pass through. Therefore, it is necessary to check the permeability of ventilation shafts and regularly ventilate the premises to get rid of humidity, tobacco smoke, harmful substances emitted by furniture, finishing materials and cleaning products. The best way ventilation - a draft, in which after 5-10 minutes the air in the room completely changes. And forced ventilation will help create an optimal microclimate in the bathroom, kitchen, bathroom, gym and laundry room.

The supply air will be provided by the door ventilators located below, and the exhaust air will be created by the built-in exhaust vent a fan whose operation can be synchronized with turning on the light or opening the door.

Incorrect installation of double-glazed windows, installation of sealed double-glazed windows or poor-quality seals

These are the reasons for poor ventilation of rooms, fogged glass, wet window sills and sections of the wall underneath them, as well as damp slopes.

Installing metal-plastic windows, you need to choose those that have ventilation valves, closing at strong wind and open in calm weather. If in installed windows There are none; you can mount them in the upper part of the profile. In addition, you need to ventilate the premises twice a day for 10 minutes. Installing the window sill and filling polyurethane foam the depth of its attachment, thermally insulate the junction of the frame from the warm air inside the room so that heat does not penetrate into the cold zone of the window and condensation does not accumulate under the window sill. Check the integrity and elasticity of window seals, which ensure the window is airtight. If you find a defect, replace them with new ones.

In addition, increased humidity in the house is created by improper operation of the premises. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that too much water vapor from the kitchen and bathroom does not enter the living rooms. There is no need to dry wet things in rooms or store liquids in open containers. And in autumn and winter, the premises need to be heated regularly, maintaining a constant temperature in them.

There are many ways to protect your home from high humidity, but to maximize the effect, use them in combination.

The fight against high humidity in the house must begin at the first warning sign. In order to prevent the appearance of a specific smell in the home, damage to property by mold, and deterioration in health, it is important to find the causes of dampness.

Proper waterproofing of the house

At the initial stage of construction Special attention Pay attention to horizontal foundation insulation. Especially if there are prerequisites for increased moisture formation high level groundwater, presence of reservoirs, frequent precipitation.

If horizontal insulation is done only at the time of construction, then vertical waterproofing of the foundation can be done when the house is rebuilt. Principle of work: a trench is dug around the building, and the foundation walls are coated with a waterproofing compound. Depending on the materials used, waterproofing can be:

Coating. It is carried out using liquid compositions based on bitumen and mastics.
Rolled. The foundation is covered with insulating material on a paper or synthetic basis. The most common roofing material.
Plastering. TO cement mortar the polymer component is mixed.

Insulation

In the autumn-winter period, high-quality outdoor or internal insulation Houses. Popular and cheap insulation foam, basalt fiber, mineral wool. Each has its own pros and cons.

Ventilation

In the case when major renovation for a number of reasons, it is impossible or it has been established that the cause of dampness in the room is the slow release of moist air; correct and sufficient ventilation of the house or apartment will help eliminate or minimize the problem:

Organize in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet forced ventilation. It is more convenient when the built-in fans turn on automatically when the door is opened or the light is turned on.
Mandatory tightness plastic windows often causes lack of ventilation. To remove moist air in the profile of a problematic window or doorway make extra small ventilation holes and install ventilators.
Be sure to regularly cross-ventilate the entire house!

Household dehumidifiers

This device is an “ambulance” for a damp home. The principle of operation of the dehumidifier is to condense excess moisture by cooling the incoming air flow. The condensate flows into a special tank, the air, devoid of excess moisture, is heated and returned to the room. Thanks to this, the house becomes drier in a very short time. In adsorption dehumidifiers, moisture is removed from the air by an adsorbent located in the device.

Features of choosing a dehumidifier:

When choosing a dehumidifier for your home, consider the square footage of the room.
Pay attention to the power, noise level during operation, and device design.
Be careful when using appliances and do not dry out the air. Models with automatic operation are very convenient. The dehumidifier turns on itself if the moisture level is high and turns off when the required parameters are optimized.

Other ways to deal with dampness

To combat dampness:

Try reducing the humidity with chemicals. Pour calcium chloride powder into small containers, 200 ml plastic cups will do, and place them in problem rooms.
If only one wall is damp, most likely the reason is an incorrectly designed heating system. Connect an additional radiator to the “crying” wall.
When eliminating dampness, do not forget to take measures to destroy mold and mildew.
Use the hood when cooking.
Household air conditioners help reduce air humidity.

When dampness appears in your home, you need to start dealing with it immediately. Dampness is insidious, today it is just excess moisture, and tomorrow it will be harmful mold. And as a result - decreased immunity, lung diseases, colds, allergies. In addition, dampness is accompanied by the appearance of various insects that love moisture: woodlice, dust mites, centipedes.

But dampness is dangerous not only for humans; the house and furniture also suffer greatly from it. Spots appear on the walls and ceiling, and the wallpaper bulges. If you do not start drying and ventilating in time, the smell of dampness will be absorbed into the furniture, this will be especially noticeable in wooden products, items containing artificial leather, and textiles. In advanced cases, things can begin to deteriorate irreversibly.

Causes of dampness

Dampness can appear in a home in two ways.

Come from outside. If the walls, roof, or floor have construction defects, then fairly soon moisture will appear in the house, especially during the rainy season. Or the neighbors upstairs had a flood. Dampness can come to residents of the first floors from the basement. For residents of panel houses, panel joints become potentially dangerous; it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the interpanel seams.
Form within. First of all, it is condensation. Rare ventilation, with frequent work with the formation of high humidity - for example, when cooking and washing. Poorly insulated rooms. In addition, leaking pipes in the bathroom, in interfloor ceilings. A large number of house plants and the presence of an aquarium also affect the humidity towards its increase.

Dampness in a private home

A private house is much more susceptible to dampness than a multi-storey one. Moisture approaches the house from all sides. This includes groundwater and rain. It is necessary to constantly monitor the waterproofing of the basement, the tightness of window and door frames, the serviceability of the drainage system and the condition of the roof.

As a rule, dampness comes into the house in the fall. When, with the onset of cold weather, people very rarely open windows for ventilation, the sun does not warm the house. Stove heating It dries the air very well, but sometimes it’s not enough.

It is very important to follow all the technology for thermal insulation of walls and floors when building a house. Violation of technology in this matter can lead to freezing of the walls and accumulation of moisture inside the walls. And if the house is wooden, then this will create many problems. Mold will begin to grow, causing the tree to gradually rot. If the floor insulation is poor, cold and moisture will flow from the basement, maintaining high humidity levels in the house.

How to get rid of dampness in the house

The main thing is to let the humid air leave the room. Regular ventilation quickly and effectively reduces humidity.

Forced ventilation. Don't forget to clean it periodically from dust.

Household dehumidifier. This device is very effective in closed small spaces, but it makes sense to purchase it if it is difficult to ventilate a given damp room. The amount of moisture a dehumidifier will remove in 2 hours can be achieved in 10 minutes with basic ventilation.

Insulate cold walls and floors, repair the roof in a timely manner, and eliminate leaks.

Adjust your heating system during wet periods.

After using the shower, ventilate the bath properly.

When cooking, turn on the ventilation or open the window slightly to escape. excess moisture. Especially when boiling liquids in large pots without a lid.

Try not to dry clothes in the house. Either hang it in a well-ventilated area, or near the ventilation. If there is constant high humidity, for drying clothes, if possible, purchase a drying cabinet. Especially if you have to wash a lot often. But it is better to refuse a washing vacuum cleaner.

Control humidity levels. To do this, purchase one of the following devices: hygrometer, barometer, complex weather station. It is necessary to fight to reduce humidity from 70%. A comfortable level of humidity for humans is in the range of 40-60%. But we must take into account that if mold already lives in your house, then it will begin to grow from 50-55%.

Special anti-damp products

In order not to deal with the consequences of dampness, it is better to take measures to prevent its occurrence. They will help with this special means, which are used at the construction stage or during renovation. This different kinds waterproofing, antifungal primers, wallpaper glue with a fungicide in the composition.

If dampness does appear in the house, some try to combat it by placing containers with calcium chloride in the form of powder or salt in the corners, and placing bags of silica gel in closets with clothes. However, if you do not eliminate the main causes of increased humidity, using these products is like carrying water in a sieve.

If you enter a room and feel a musty smell or see dark spots on the shelves or walls, this is mold. It's all due to dampness. It is detrimental to health, furniture and the home itself. You definitely need to fight it.

First find the reason

There can be many reasons for increased humidity in the home. Before taking measures to eliminate moisture, you need to find its causes.

To determine the cause of moisture on the wall, you can test it with foil. Dry part of the wall with a hairdryer. Place the foil tightly to this place and secure it there (with tape). If after a day the foil becomes wet on the outside, it means condensation; if it is wet under the foil, it means moisture is leaking from outside.

Damp spots around windows and doors can be caused by water seeping into cracks after rain. If the stains are under the windowsill, the reason may be in the drip tray, which is designed to drain rainwater. Check its presence and whether it is sealed with cement.

To determine where your roof is leaking, you can hose it down and see where the leak is. If the roof does not leak, but wooden structures wet, then condensation is the culprit. Humid air from rooms rises and condenses on cold surfaces. Then it is necessary to establish ventilation of the attic.

Check pipes for leaks, especially if they are embedded in a wall or floor. It is better to leave such pipes alone and line them.

So that the house can breathe

There are several ways to combat condensation.

Open windows in warm weather.
In the kitchen and bathroom you need to install exhaust fans with humidity sensors; Desiccants can be used.
Also, to combat condensation, doors and windows should not be sealed. Now they are making windows with micro-ventilation. It does not create drafts, and helps get rid of humidity.
If possible, dry your clothes outside or on the balcony.
Cover boiling pots with lids and close doors to rooms to prevent steam from spreading to other rooms.
If you are going to change the plaster on the walls to improve waterproofing, then be sure to knock down the old one and let the walls dry. Then plaster with anti-condensation plaster. It takes moisture in wet times and releases it in dry times, and the air bubbles in it protect the walls from moisture.
To waterproof a monolithic floor, you can cover it with a waterproof compound, and on top - a solution of cement with fine sand. To prevent the floor from raising too much, you can use a self-leveling material.
For kitchen and bathroom decoration, choose anti-condensation paint. It absorbs water from humid air and can release it back when it becomes dry.

Let off some steam

To combat moisture in all its forms:

release the steam that forms inside the house (in the kitchen, bathroom, when drying clothes);
organize constant ventilation, install hoods;
insulate the floor, walls, ceiling from moisture from the outside;
dry the house by heating or ventilating in warm, dry weather.

Let your home be cozy and warm!