Picture the scene…
It’s getting towards the end of the weekend and you have a gigantic pile of washing staring you in the face, much of which needs to be done for Monday morning.
You don’t have access to a dryer and the later the day draws on, the less likely your outdoor washing line will prove a suitable means for drying off your garments. So what other options do you have?
There’s a clothes maiden of course. But surely it’s more tempting to use the emanating heat of your home radiators, right? Well, you’d be better served resisting the temptation…
Can it be unhealthy to dry clothes on a Radiator?
On the surface, drying clothes on a radiator appears an innocent practice. However, experts across the pond have warned about the potential health implications of doing so.
The science folks at the National Aspergillosis Center in Manchester, UK, think it best to think twice before sticking our garments to dry on home heating appliances like radiators. This is on the back of providing treatment to an expanding number of people to inhale dangerous Aspergillus fungal spores.
Most people won’t overly suffer on the back of breathing in these spores, either through proving immune to the fungus or having healthy immune systems fit to combat any infection.
But for cancer patients, asthma sufferers, or folk with damaged or weakened immune systems in general, the fungus can instigate pulmonary aspergillosis. That condition, left untreated, can lead to irreparable, and sometimes fatal, sinus and lung deterioration. That said, the collateral from drying your clothes on a radiator can potentially be life threatening – but is there a safer alternative to consider?
What is Aspergillosis?
Typically affecting the respiratory system (sinuses, windpipe and lungs), Aspergillosis is the moniker attached to a set of conditions caused by the fungal mold aspergillus.
Just how severe the condition is depends on several factors. The varying degrees contrast greatly, ranging from mild wheezing to coughing up blood, and in more extreme circumstances, even death.
How to reduce the risk of exposure
As detailed above, there’s sometimes little option other than to place clothes on the radiator to dry. But before you splash out on an all-singing all-dancing tumble dryer, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of exposure to Aspergillosis.
If it’s just an odd bit of underwear or a pair of socks being dried, you won’t necessarily need to follow these tips, though it won’t do any harm. But if you are to dry your washing indoors, make sure you crack a window open to ensure the space keeps well ventilated.
Therefore, the best means to stop a reaction is to make sure – on the odd time you have no choice but to dry your clothes inside – that windows are left open. Refrain from drying clothes in living spaces and keep wet clothes out of bedroom areas as well.
Can drying clothes indoors enhance your energy bills?
In some cases, there’s hardly any other option than to dry clothes on or nearby to a radiator.
But in addition to the health risks attached to this practice, there’s also an unwanted potential for higher energy bills as well.
The use of radiators or towel warmers will lead your boiler to work harder than it should be required to, leading operating costs to spiral.
Heat is prevented from escaping and heating the room by the clothes positioned atop of the radiator. As such, your boiler needs to work in accordance, using more energy at a greater cost to warm your living area.
The added moisture in the air leads to a greater energy requirement for the heating of the whole room too, which can also increase energy costs. Plus, there’s the possibility of health issues surfacing, and condensation can also result, causing mold and damp issues that can be expensive to tackle.
Lots of US homes feature large fireplaces and fires. And the laws of physics will dictate that these assist greatly in eradicating moisture, reducing condensation and keeping your home drier overall.
The enhanced level of condensation on the walls largely stems from improvements made in the double-glazing, draught-proofing and insulation of housing.
Of course, this is brilliant for heat retention and ensuring your home stays nice and toasty. However, the improvements can also lead to a lack of air ventilation and an upturn in stale air with a larger percentage of moisture becoming trapped indoors. None of those, of course, are any good for your health and general wellbeing.
Is drying clothes on a Radiator really that bad?
Placing wet clothing on radiators should not become a regular occurrence for the benefit of your property. Specific parts of the home, especially on walls or behind furniture, will become damp and discolored via condensation.
If that’s the case in your home, you might need to address the problem by introducing measures to reduce the condensation levels.
The mold and damp can prove a health problem for people living in your home. But it can also be a massive issue for the health and structural character of the building itself.
Initially, you might only notice a few black mold marks on the wall. But this can soon snowball into bigger and more costly issues, with fixings, plaster and the walls themselves deteriorating over time.
In areas with wallpaper, you could see the wall surface bubble and blister and start to peel off. So in the blink of an eye, you could suddenly be considering a full refurbishment job.
Expenses can spiral…
Don’t immediately panic if you do encounter mold or an area of condensation. If only a small space has been affected you might be able to simply wipe it clear and update the area with a touch of paint or sealant.
But if you notice damage to the plaster then it’s a good example of how expenses can quickly spiral. If you can’t do the job yourself, for instance, you might be looking at a fee in excess of $120 for some professional work.
There’s always the possibility that you’ll be able to solve minor aesthetic issues yourself, of course. And that would be preferable if possible, given that most professionals will be reluctant to commit to less than half a day’s worth of work.
When left unattended, extreme bouts of mold and condensation can lead to a dry rot problem that can have massive structural implications. Should that scenario play out, a monumentally costly repair bill is a possible, or even likely result.
How to stop Mold from gathering in the home
Placing clothes on radiators isn’t the sole factor in causing condensation and mold to gather in a home. There are some other elements to consider, and a couple of measures you can introduce to lower the potential impact of the damp.
The best means to tackle condensation is to introduce proper ventilation throughout the home.
In the absence of a regular flow of fresh air entering and exiting the property, humidity within the home will increase. In turn, the internal atmosphere will be quickly filled with moisture.
This is especially the case during colder periods when you’re unlikely to dry clothes outside. When the temperature alternates during winter, the cycle of cold and slightly colder can lead to water droplets appearing on colder surfaces, resulting in mold growth and more serious potential problems detailed earlier.
External walls are the prime areas that this issue will usually arise on.
The introduction of a dehumidifier could help to enhance the quality of air in your home. But it’s not ideal to keep one running constantly. So, we’ve compiled a shortlist of steps to follow to combat a build-up of condensation.
How to tackle Condensation in the home
- A single load of daily washing contains about two liters of water. Make sure your washing machine and/or tumble dryer are vented properly before use.
- When possible, try to dry your washing outdoors. If you have no option but to dry it inside, don’t overload your radiators with clothes and make sure the doors and windows stay open to keep the space well ventilated.
- Keep your bathroom and kitchen doors closed when you are taking a shower or bath, boiling the kettle or cooking. This will stop steam from infiltrating the colder rooms and creating condensation.
- Prevent excessive moisture from occurring during cooking by covering pans with a lid. If you have an extractor fan, make use of it and don’t turn it off immediately after cooking. Instead, leave it for 15 minutes or so to make sure the air is properly cleared.
- Use your bathroom’s extractor fan when you take a shower or a bath. If you don’t have one, they’re worth investing in. They can curtail the risk of mold build-up and extend the lifespan of your bathroom walls.
- Pets and plants produce water as well. Try covering up your fish tank if you have one present in your home. And move some houseplants outdoors if you are experiencing excess condensation, to see if a noticeable difference occurs.
- If there’s no extractor fan present in your bathroom or kitchen, make sure you wipe down the surfaces after showering or cooking. Otherwise, the excess moisture formulating on the surfaces can rapidly transform into something more troublesome than water and something much harder to get rid of.
- Try and avoid cramming too much into kitchen cupboards or wardrobes. Trapped air and poor ventilation can instigate the appearance of mold and spores, so try to allow air to circulate as much as possible even in areas such as this.
- Check your insulation levels. Double glazing, loft insulation and draught-proofing will help you to combat the level of heat your property loses. This temperature increase will assist in keeping indoor surfaces warmer, but be sure not to make the air too stale. Ventilate wherever you can.
- If there’s one room you spend especially a lot of time within, crack the window open in there for a while. Simply breathing will affect condensation, so properly ventilating the space will play a big part in improving the quality of the air.
So there you go.
A glance back through this blog makes us realize how much we’ve harped on about ventilation. But that really is the key.
If you have no option but to dry clothes on or nearby the designer radiator, make sure the space is adequately ventilated to be as safe as possible.
Open a window. Add an extractor fan.
Basically, do everything possible to minimize the moisture build-up in your home. Your health will benefit and you’ll save on unwarranted refurbishments well into the future.
Best of luck with all your home heating quandaries!
