It’s a fact that many people overlook their old and often degraded windows and doors and this may lead to more than increased costs of heating your home. We recently removed this customers old leaking door and side window, replacing them with new french doors ready for the summer! This customer has improved the look of their home. And with no leaks, their home is more energy efficient, with a reduced risk of being damp, providing them with a healthier living environment.
Our health can be directly affected by our home. And the quality and most importantly, the age of the doors and windows in our homes can lead to issues.
As a barrier, a well-fitted new window or door not only keeps the heat in, improving the energy efficiency, but it also keeps the weather out. And the biggest issue with leaky seals is that water will always find its way in. We live in the UK, and although regional variation exists, we all get our fair share of rainfall.
Now when doors and windows are well fitted and working well, the wet weather is kept out. But as they age, the rubber seals degrade, gaps may appear, and water enters the home. Water that comes in consistently can cause water damage to fixtures or fittings. Porous materials like wood, carpets, or drywall become wet. But as well as causing costly and unsightly damage, it is this added moisture that then creates an even bigger potential problem. Increased moisture in the air causes damp conditions. And damp provides just the correct environment that molds thrive in. Mold can develop within 24 to 48hrs and releases its spores into the air.
Another secondary issue caused by gaps in a door is cold air entering the home causes condensation. The door frame and surrounding wall surfaces become very cold. The water vapour in the humid indoor air meets this and condenses back to water. Creating damp and promoting black mold.
Mold has the potential to cause significant health issues, particularly in those with mold allergies or asthma or chronic lung diseases. Anyone with a weakened immune system is also more susceptible to its effects.
Causing allergic symptoms including nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, and irritated and itchy, red eyes. Respiratory issues include wheezing and shortness of breath, asthma attacks, and an increased risk of upper respiratory infections. Chronically it can promote the development of asthma in children, lead to migraines, and also other signs such as brain fog and memory loss (neurotoxicity).
Reducing mold improves the air quality of your home. Trickle vents have become mandatory in most new and replacement windows/doors in the UK, since June 15, 2022. These combat mold and condensation by providing background ventilation. Particularly needed in modern homes which are “airtight”, they are small and often adjustable air vents that ensure consistent airflow for a safer home environment. They do this with minimal effects on the energy efficiency of the home.
If you find mold it is important to repair the leak first and then use a special mold-killing cleaner on any affected areas. So, if the cause of the leak is an old door or window, don’t delay replacing these with new ones.
Top Tips to Improve the Air Quality In Your Home
New windows and doors use tighter, high-quality seals with precise manufacturing to eliminate gaps when compared with older frames that are often warped. They are made with improved materials, so they resist warping and shrinking and therefore the airtightness of their seals.