The predominant root cause of damp and mould is usually misdiagnosed. Most people and especially trade contractors will assume damp and mould problems are caused by structural defects, poor insulation or poor build quality but this is usually wrong. Even if these issues are present they are usually separate and not connected to the true root cause. Yes they must be fixed but the assumption is that these are the only root cause when in fact the true root cause has been ignored. If you've ever had a treatment that hasnt worked (DPC, roof/tiles/soffit replaced, guttering cleared/replaced, replastering etc) or even made the problem worse (after adding insulations ie. double/triple glazing, cavity, loft) this is the reason why.
The true root cause of house wide damp and mould usually relates to the underformance of the most commonly selected strategy in one of the mandatory Parts of the Building Regulations - Part F Ventilation. Profit driven builders choose this strategy because it is the cheapest and easiest way to comply with Part F hence it is the predominant strategy in millions of properties but it often leads to damp and mould problems once a property becomes occupied, especially in well insulated new builds (so yes we are building these inefficiencies into our new build property stock). Similarly in recent decades we have retrofitted insulation to millions of existing properties (double glazing, cavity, loft etc) to make them more energy efficient but we have ignored the detrimental impact this will have on ventilation performance. Poor ventilation leads to poor indoor air quality and problems like condensation and mould and dust mites and subsequent health and well being problems.
When damp and problem problems arise occupants are told to open windows and natural ventilators because the assumption is this will provide all the ventilation they need yet the problems often persist not to mention the impact on heating costs and occupant comfort. This is because the strategy itself is at the heart of the problem and is not part of the solution. Similarly it is assumed extractor fans and the more complex strategies such as MEV, MVHR and SRHR arrays perform properly when they turn on yet problems persist. This is usually down to design, specification and/or installation quality which is the major problem in the UK ventilation industry due in large part to the wholesaler route to market used by manufacturers that does not validate quality combined with the lack of policing of quality and performance.
The predominant root cause of damp and mould problems can only be permanently fixed when all contributing factors are addressed. In our experience most property intermediaries and trade contractors dont understand the true root cause and those who do usually get the remediation wrong due to lack of knowledge and experience.

Better Indoors' is a highly experienced designer, specifer and installer of these solutions having installed many thousands of successful problem solving whole house solutions in properties all across the UK and Channel Islands over the past decade. We are one of the only businesses in the UK that can accurately diagnose and specify remotely which is necessary for our radon mitigation business which covers the entire UK and Channel Islands.

Our whole house/building ventilation retrofits permanently prevent the predominant root cause of damp and mould but in doing so they also address other common problems that are associated with and caused by the same root cause. Namely:

Dust Mite Population Increases. Dust mite faecal matter causes asthma conditions to develop in vulnerable lungs (babies, older people) and is a known trigger for asthma sufferers. In our professional opinion dust mites represent a far bigger health risk than mould because: 1. Dust mite populations start to increase at lower humidity thresholds than mould growth. 2. Dust mites are an invisible stealth problem unlike mould and condensation that is visible and/or can be smelled so occupants usually dont realise they have a dust mite problem. 3. If you can see mould and condensation in your property you already have a dust mite problem. 4. Most social housing providers, property intermediaries and trade contractors focus on mould whilst ignoring dust mites. Most think a property is made safe by cleaning mould away yet the root cause remains and the mould cleaning has no effect on dust mite populations.

Radon. Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in the UK behind smoking. Radon is a risk in any property located in a hot spot area (see Interactive Map on ukradon.org so check your postcode area). As members of Radon Council and UK Radon Association, we are an expert radon measurement and mitigation service provider having designed, specified and installed thousands of retrofits over the years. Our rapid radon measurement service delivers reliable results in 24 hours compared to the usual 3 months and our unique retrofits routinely reduce radon levels to below the mandatory Domestic or Commercial Action Levels and usually below the non mandatory Target Level (aimed at occupants with compromised respiratory health).

Indoor Viral/Bacterial Transmission. Our ventilation systems can be retrofittted with Photohydroionisation™ (PHI) active air purification technology from world renowned US based environmental innovator and manufacturer, RGF Environmental Inc (www.rgf.com). PHI drastically reduces the ability for viruses and bacteria to transmit in the air and on surfaces in real-time. Invented by RGF in the late 1990s, PHI is the world's first zero ozone active air treatment process that replicates nature's air cleaning processes in Earth's atmosphere and is perfectly safe to breathe. PHI is the world's most independently tested, validated and proven active air treatment technology. PHI has been installed in over 5 million sites in over 125 countries worldwide.

Productivity, Health and Wellbeing. Our ventilation systems permanently reduce CO2 and VOC concentrations which are commonly linked to issues with productivity, health and well being especially in domestic properties where the occupants spend significant time working from home.

Odours, Pet Dander, Pollens. Our ventilation systems increase the dilution/displacement rates throughout the entire property which helps to eliminate these pollutants. Furthermore PHI helps to deactivate allergenic compounds which leads to reductions in symptoms of people who suffer from asthma, hay fever and pet allergies.
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This usually requires a whole house or building ventiation retrofit comprising various units and ancillaries. Our systems are usually fully installed and commissioned on the same day.