Damp and Mould Webinar
Cornwall Council are hosting a free Damp and Mould Webinar on Tuesday 28th January at 10-11am to discuss the causes of condensation, damp and mould, the health impacts, actions that should be taken to remove mould and available support. There will also be time for questions.
You can sign up to the free Webinar here.
Damp and Mould Impacts
Damp and mould growth has adverse health impacts, including respiratory effects such as asthma, and serious illness. The presence of damp and mould can also affect mental health due to worries about the health impacts, unpleasant living conditions (sometimes leading to isolation), destruction of property and belongings, and impact on fuel costs.
Cold, damp homes cost the NHS between £1.3 billion and £2.5 billion each winter in England. For Cornwall, this is estimated at between £15 million and £25 million.
What assistance is available?
Cornwall Council’s Private Sector Housing advisory leaflet offers simple tips to try and prevent condensation, dampness and mould growth within the home.
A Winter Wellbeing guide is also available which offers useful advice from organisations providing services and support to help residents. Page 32 of the guide particularly focuses on damp and mould and includes some helpful tips.
A Damp and Mould Toolkit is currently being trialled by front-line staff in the Council and NHS. This toolkit will provide frontline workers with guidance on what to do if damp and mould is identified in the homes of the residents they support.
Case study
‘Sally’ and her partner live in a mid-terrace solid wall cottage in a seaside town in West Cornwall with their two children. Over 12 months, issues of damp and mould became apparent and began impacting the children’s health. Mould was present on walls through the home but was also contaminating the family’s bedding and clothing.
The family’s GP wrote a letter regarding his concerns that the severe respiratory issues of the four-year-old child were directly linked to the living conditions. Sally was reluctant to push the landlord too hard on the state of the property because she was worried that she’d be asked to leave and wouldn’t be able to afford to rent anywhere else in the area as cheaply.
Winter Wellbeing helped Sally with
– Installing a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system to combat the damp.
– Professional removal and treatment of the impacted walls (included with the PIV installation).
– A Household Support Fund payment for the family’s energy bills.

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