Many homes across the UK are plagued by problems of condensation that, if left, can turn to a grimy mould that can be a serious hazardous to health. However, throwing a window open for long spells during the cold winter months isn't always a practical solution - so, what can you do to beat the problem?
The Mirror reports that condensation and mildew are a common problems across the country as dated building materials and poorly constructed extensions trap water within structural skeletons. Research conducted by Rentokil found that 5.8million renters have experienced damp or condensation issues at some point in their tenancy, with over half receiving no help when reaching out to their landlords.
According to the NHS, mould can create allergens, irritants, and sometimes even toxins. Inhaling or touching mould spores can often lead to reactions including a runny nose, sneezing, red eyes and skin itching. Typically, people try to remove condensation by opening a window, but now a Reddit user has revealed a hack to get rid of it quickly and easily.
Posting on the site, the handy helper said: "In Germany, we have a technique called 'Stosslüften'," - which in English translates to shock ventilation. They explained: "What that basically means is that instead of having maybe one window open all day (which is a huge waste of energy), open several windows all over the house for three minutes, creating a strong draft to exchange most of the warm humid air inside the house with cold air from outside.
"A cool feature about cold air is that it can 'hold' less water vapour. If this relatively dry cold air enters your house, it warms up. Being warmer, it is suddenly capable of taking up some of the extra humidity from inside your house.
"This might sound a little weird at first but is advocated in schools and so on. I use that technique and it works. Do this several times a day and you should really see a change."
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