Suffering from a damp bathroom?

The bathroom is often one of the most humid rooms in a home. In many cases, moisture in the bathroom is not a problem, but an excess of moisture that cannot escape often brings negative consequences. Do you suffer from an excessively damp bathroom? You're not alone: in Flanders many bathrooms suffer from moisture problems such as condensation, ventilation problems, rising damp, damp floor, leaks or a musty smell.

Recognising moisture in the bathroom

A bathroom is an important room in your home. It is the room in which you get ready for the day, shower, go to the toilet or perhaps cut your own hair. In other words, the bathroom is a place where you should like to be and where you would prefer not to have moisture problems.

An ideal humidity level for a bathroom is between 40% and 60%. Is the value higher than that? Then chances are that sooner or later you'll find moisture spots and -problems will experience. You can usually recognise an excessively damp bathroom by the following signs:

• Coloured spots on the wall
• Mould spots
• Loose plaster, wallpaper or grouting
• A bad and unpleasant smell
• Drops on windows and walls

If you notice these issues in your bathroom, it is a good idea to get a moisture expert enable.

Consequences of a damp bathroom

If you notice the above symptoms in your bathroom but do nothing about them, it can lead to all sorts of negative consequences. We list the main ones:

Causes of an excessively damp bathroom and their solutions

There are several reasons for moisture in the bathroom, each with its own moisture treatment. It is recommended to use a moisture expert in order to determine the exact cause. Once the exact cause is known, a correct solution can also be provided. The most common causes are:

1. Condensation moisture

Condensation moisture is a common cause of a damp bathroom, as condensation is often caused by human activities. Think, for example, of breathing or perspiration by occupants. Showering or taking a bath can also increase humidity. If you do not ventilate the room sufficiently, this moisture cannot leave. This results in condensation on the walls and ceiling. Over time, this can lead to damp spots and mould on silicon and joints.

The ideal solution to condensation dampness is to make your bathroom the best it can be ventilate. This can be done by taking action yourself, but also a mechanical ventilation system can help you with this.

2. Insufficient heating

A heater in the bathroom accelerates the evaporation of excess moisture, allowing it to drain easily. If the bathroom is not heated, the moisture remains. Over time, damp patches develop, and it is only a matter of time before the first signs of mould become visible.

3. Rising damp

Is your bathroom on the ground floor? Then you can also rising damp lead to moisture in the bathroom. This occurs when there is a problem with or lack of the water barrier, causing groundwater moisture to penetrate the bathroom walls.

Rising damp is best tackled professionally by having injecting your walls. Then experts drill holes in the damp walls, and then inject them with a damp-proofing product.

4. Penetrating moisture

Further penetrating moisture to the cause of a damp bathroom. This is moisture that penetrates through the outside of the house due to (heavy) precipitation and seeps through the interior walls.

Permeable moisture in the bathroom is best combated by means of facade impregnation, in which a transparent but waterproof layer is applied to the façade.

5. Moisture-absorbing materials in the bathroom

Materials such as natural or brick have a strong absorption capacity. In a humid environment, this can lead to problems:

• Materials that easily absorb moisture become saturated and porous after a while
• In addition, accumulated moisture causes unpleasant odour spread.

If you do want to opt for such materials, it is advisable to treat them with a moisture-resistant coating. However, if you want to make things easy on yourself, it is better to opt for modern materials such as plastic and ceramic tiles.

6. Water leaks

Finally, an undetected leak in one of the pipes can result in excessive humidity in the bathroom. Since leaks are often not immediately visible, the moisture problem usually does not manifest itself for several months.

To address this, it is wise to hire an expert or plumber. This professional has specialised equipment for detecting leaks that are not visible to the naked eye. After such leak detection, you will also receive a report and expert advice with the necessary remedial work for the bathroom.