Free guide helps building owners tackle damp and mould

A new Guide 'Mould and Damp Prevention in New and Existing Homes' has been launched by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and Mitsubishi Electric during BESA's sixth Annual Conference.

The new guide has been designed to educate the industry on how problems of damp and mould can be tackled at the source, with straightforward steps and advice to help improve the indoor environment.

Issues around damp and mould can cause physical symptoms from itchy skin to deadly lung disease, and even mental health impacts like depression and anxiety.

More than half (55%) of respondents to a poll carried out by builders' merchant Jewson said they had experienced IAQ and condensation issues in their homes in the past year – and 44% reported health related side effects including allergies, respiratory infections, poor sleep, low mood, and difficulty concentrating.

In a forward to the Guide, George Clarke, Architect and TV presenter, says: "Damp and mouldy homes are a cost to all of us. The NHS spends an estimated £1.4 billion annually on treating illnesses associated with cold or damp housing…and the World Health Organisation says that mould is so dangerous it does not set minimum 'safe' levels."

The true scale of the UK's domestic ventilation problems were revealed with 52% of the 2,000 homeowners reporting condensation problems, 26% saying they had mould in at least one room.

The Guide is online at https://library.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/pdf/book/guide_to_mould#page-1