Mould is a common issue in housing across New Zealand. Due to the lightweight properties of water vapour, it has a tendency to find its way into the ceiling cavity which is why the ceiling is often the first place you will find mould, a known trigger of asthma.
Damp and mould are both huge problems for your home and its inhabitants; luckily, we’ve got some tips on how to help.
As we enter the colder, wetter months, there is an increased possibility of dampness, mildew, and mould. These can negatively affect your breathing, affecting allergies, asthma, and even causing pneumonia or bronchitis.
Improper ventilation and bad drainage are some of the main culprits that cause a damp home. Also, with some older houses, there could be plumbing issues that leave a lot of water where you might not expect it.
Prevention is the best cure, and so avoiding dampness in your home in the first place is the best way to deal with it.
Drawing the curtains (and cleaning them once in a while) can be helpful, as can opening the windows and letting in some fresh air. This can be hard as the days get colder, but it’s well worth it to prevent mould and mildew.
If your home is already damp, the above will stop it from getting worse, but you may want to fix what’s already been done too.
The simplest solutions often work best; open the windows, and leave them open. There are also damp absorbing crystals that can be purchased in tubs and left in key areas, like the wardrobes or under your bed, which can help if you don’t want to buy a dehumidifier for every room.
Unfortunately, the fostering of mould can also be encouraged through poor design. Traditional roofing underlays are designed to be vapour permeable but, in reality, they act as a significant barrier – leaving many Kiwis with the task of fighting household mould.
Historically, HVAC units and dehumidifiers have been used in the struggle against mould. However, COLORSTEEL® offers a new innovation to combat the growth of mould in New Zealand households - COLORSTEEL® DRIDEX®. COLORSTEEL® DRIDEX® consists of a unique anti-condensation layer of fleece adhered to the reverse side of COLORSTEEL® roofing products. This anti-condensation fleece helps to keep the roof dry by absorbing water and negating the need for traditional roofing underlay. When roof temperatures rise, the condensation evaporates, escaping out the roof cavity into the exterior environment.
Ensuring that you have good insulation is key; especially underfloor insulation, as it stops any water under your house from rising up through the floor.
COLORSTEEL® DRIDEX® is an innovative roofing solution that delivers superior condensation absorption and allows for enhanced ventilation - creating drier and healthier homes.
If you have further questions or concerns about your breathing being affected by dampness, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider.
For more information on DRIDEX® or to find out other ways you can make your home more asthma and allergy-friendly, visit sensitivechoice.com.
COLORSTEEL® DRIDEX® creates a drier and healthier internal environment for your home. Available in two grades, DRIDEX® is recommended for moderate environments and DRIDEX+® is recommended for severe environments (determined by your property’s proximity to the coast, geothermal areas and industrial environments).
• Layer of anti-condensation fleece on the underside of each sheet • Keeps the roof dry by absorbing water into the fleece
• Reduces mould and other pollutants associated with asthma, and other respiratory tract inflammations and allergies
• Available in a range of COLORSTEEL® colours.he
