Consistently having tenants occupying your investment property is crucial to getting the best return on your investment. There’s one tenant that you shouldn’t want residing in your property though; condensation.  

Condensation on windows may not seem like the scariest of all potential intruders but it could end up doing damage to your asset. That is why when it comes to condensation, it is always best to be vigilant. 

What is condensation and why does it occur? 

Condensation occurs when vapour in the air turns into liquid. It is quite often associated with the moisture on your shower screen or your windows.

It’s the result of the everyday activities of your tenants and the result of external environmental factors.

Cooking, washing, bathing and even breathing cause moisture to be released into the air.

The air can only hold a certain amount of water vapour before it reaches a point where it is oversaturated. Otherwise known as the warming process, if the air becomes cooled by approaching a cold surface, such as a mirror or window, the vapour turns into droplets of water. This process leads to condesation being created. 

How is condensation harmful? 

Every property experiences condensation, but when your property is consistently experiencing this phenomenon it can lead to mould growth. This can be a huge problem for any property investor and their portfolio.

Mould is fungal growth. In addition to simply being an unpleasant presence in the home, mould can be damaging to the health of your tenants. It can also be very detrimental to your property. 

Impact to the property 

Excessive condensation doesn’t simply foster mould growth, it can also damage your property.

Condensation can run off windows to stain woodwork or in serious cases even damage the wallpaper or plaster. Fixing these can be a particularly expensive to repair or replace.

Depending on the location of the property, excessive moisture can freeze the insulation in your roof. In a worst-case scenario, it could eventually melt and damage your plaster when warm weather comes, just like a roof leak.

It can also begin to form blisters under your exterior paint, leaving you in need of an expensive paint job. 

What should your tenants do? 

Despite your obligations, preventing condensation build-up and mould growth in your investment property is a shared responsibility between you and your tenants. 

The lifestyle factors of residents impact the amount of condensation in a property. So, you can’t do everything necessary to protect your property if you don’t live in it. 

There are a few measures your tenants can take to prevent an unhealthy living environment and stop any damage to your valuable asset. 

If you’d like to find out more about the importance of taking measures to protect your asset from the damage of condensation, talk to your property manager today. 

What can you do? 

Remembering that no property can be 100% free of condensation all year-round, there are several measures you can take to reduce the condensation build-up in your property.

Mould and other problems caused by structural faults or leaks are usually considered to be your responsibility, so it’s important you take the appropriate measures.

If you’d like to find out more about your responsibilities for preventing condensation and mould growth, you can talk to your Little Real Estate property manager for advice.