Cornerstone

As we head into winter 2023, Cornerstone are conscious of the need for a uniform approach to ensuring structural and atmospheric health and, in the absence of a full understanding of the impacts added insulation and inadequate ventilation can have, reports of damp, condensation and mould will likely continue through these colder periods.

Our history surveying such reported issues in properties and delivering key recommendations for cost-effective solutions, has served to reduce disrepair cases plus re-spend with a proactive ’better decision making’ protocol.

Survey data clearly indicates ventilation being the foremost cause and, alongside expert consultancy knowledge, our services have been adopted by many clients seeking to actively future-proof healthier homes.

Cornerstone fully recognise there are many industry experts dealing with structural and atmospheric elements however, we are also aware that in the absence of impact assessments how do we fully recognise the desired outcome has been achieved?

Did you know the existing permeability of a structure i.e. it’s leakiness, is a key recognition prior to any intended ‘improvements’ as it affects the prevailing atmospheric conditions alongside the resultant internal comfort of occupants. In addition, determining the permeability rating has a direct alignment to the ‘Whole Dwelling ventilation Rate’ such that, if we also sought to embrace Net Zero in the absence of structural and atmospheric understanding, could we witness more problems in the future?

Recognising damp, condensation and mould are symptoms attributed to more than one cause is why a detailed understanding of building behaviour and performance of installed devices as a collective is crucial in determining why the issues appeared in the first instance.

Suffice to add, if a new extraction unit was installed as a solution to a problem, there may well be future issues because the contributory factors have not been embraced in the outcome. Indeed, this has been brought to our attention as ‘re-spend’ and suggests a viable singular result and not a defined long-term solution.

Our drive is to recognise we need to deal with Disrepair in a timely manner and, having access to SMART Knowledge will assist securing a likely outcome for feasible repairs or upgrades delivered by experts who recognise the initial situation and the desired requirement for a defined resolution.

With understandable information in a recognised format, we have and continue to enable landlords seek likely reasons for a reported issue at the time of an initial call with key simple guidance provided with a systemised follow-up if and where appropriate.
Key elements of the process assist call-handler questioning and resident engagement such that a likely cause could initially be delivered as a guide and, more complex issues can be escalated with baseline data to hand.

To assist this journey and the Governments’ call for respective training, our key CPD Damp, Condensation and Mould workshops explain the nutrient and time requirements for mould, how it behaves once established, what landlords can undertake to uphold effective repairs whilst ensuring ventilation ‘adequacy’ from a structural and atmospheric perspective plus, removing the mould once the issues have been determined in an effective manner to signifi8cantlt reduce the potential for its return.

A unique training aspect is recognising retrofitting and the net zero journeys with advanced understanding of their likely impacts on structural types and occupancy variations. This underpins landlord confidence with their accomplishments concluded in a defined approach whilst providing bespoke guidance for residents for an improved healthier internal living condition.

To uphold our understanding and deliver immediate support for al interested parties we have created three apps to date namely:
Air change calculator – that can assist determining how long an extractor should run for in a room after use to deliver ‘one air change’.
Humidity Calculator Basic – adding % Relative Humidity and Air temperature both internally and externally readily indicates the difference between the atmospheres and, aligns to BS5250:2002 Control of Condensation in Buildings: Annex B Moisture generation and ventilation in occupied buildings
Humidity Calculator Pro – as above with multiple rooms internally to uphold a more defined difference with the exterior.

How would these help?
Did you know external winter atmospheres hold less moisture than summer atmospheres such that, changing the air can aid reducing the potential for damp and mould.

To learn more of Cornerstone or discuss any issues with an expert, contact us now: