MaintainlyHow often should you check your home for damp and mould?
Check for damp and mould every 6 months. The commonly recommended range is every 6 months, especially before and during winter. Mould spreads behind furniture and in cold corners, damaging plaster and triggering asthma and allergies. It is seasonal work, best done in autumn / fall.
Condensation and mould build up in winter, when windows stay shut and cold surfaces meet warm, moist air. A check twice a year, before and during the heating season, finds them while they are still a wipe-down rather than a redecoration.
Why does checking for damp and mould matter?
Mould spreads behind furniture and in cold corners, damaging plaster and triggering asthma and allergies.
What happens if you skip checking for damp and mould?
Mould damages plaster, paint and belongings. UK government health guidance links damp and mould to coughing, wheezing and worsened asthma, with children, older people and people with existing lung conditions most at risk.
How do you do it?
- Check the usual spots. Window frames and sills, the corners of outside walls, behind wardrobes and beds against outside walls, and bathroom ceilings.
- Look for the source. Black spotting near windows is usually condensation. A patch with a tide mark, or damp low on a wall, points to a leak or rising damp.
- Check extractor fans and trickle vents. Make sure bathroom and kitchen fans run and pull air, and that window trickle vents are open.
- Clean small patches safely. Wipe small areas of surface mould with a mould cleaner or detergent and water, using a damp disposable cloth and gloves, with the window open. Never mix bleach with other cleaners.
- Change daily habits. Dry laundry outside where you can, keep lids on pans, close the door while cooking or showering, and leave a gap between furniture and outside walls.
What does it take?
How do you know checking for damp and mould is overdue?
- Black spots around windows or in corners
- A musty smell
- Water running down windows in the morning
What do people get wrong?
- Painting over mould
- Blocking trickle vents and airbricks to stop draughts
- Drying clothes on radiators in closed rooms
When should you stop and call someone?
When a patch of mould is larger than about a square metre (10 square feet), keeps coming back after cleaning, or comes with a leak, rising damp or rotten timber.
Does this differ in the US, UK, Australia or Canada?
United States
The EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, and drying anything that gets wet within 24 to 48 hours.
United Kingdom
Condensation is the most common form of damp. In England, Awaab’s Law has required social landlords to investigate and fix significant damp and mould hazards within set timeframes since 27 October 2025. Tenants in any rented home should report damp to their landlord promptly and in writing.
Australia
Run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans while showering and cooking, and check that they discharge outside rather than into the roof space.
Canada
Health Canada advises keeping relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Run bathroom and kitchen fans (and the HRV if you have one), and treat condensation on windows in a cold snap as a sign that humidity is too high.
Frequently asked questions
Why does checking for damp and mould matter?
Mould spreads behind furniture and in cold corners, damaging plaster and triggering asthma and allergies.
What happens if you skip checking for damp and mould?
Mould damages plaster, paint and belongings. UK government health guidance links damp and mould to coughing, wheezing and worsened asthma, with children, older people and people with existing lung conditions most at risk.
Does checking for damp and mould differ by country?
Universal. UK: in England, Awaab's Law has required social landlords to act on damp and mould within set times since 27 October 2025.
When in the year is checking for damp and mould best done?
This is seasonal work. Plan it for autumn / fall, before the weather it protects against arrives.
How we put this together
The figures, intervals and legal points on this page were checked against the sources listed below. The default interval and accepted range are the ones Maintainly uses in its task library. Costs and times are typical ranges and vary by region and by home. Your own manufacturer's instructions come first, and gas, electrical and structural work belongs with a qualified professional. How we research and write.
Sources
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, US Environmental Protection Agency. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Mold, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, GOV.UK. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Awaab’s Law: guidance for social landlords, GOV.UK. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Reduce humidity, moisture and mould, Health Canada. Checked 11 October 2026.
Next steps
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