Looking after your new home during the colder months

It is important that you look after your home in the colder months. As homes built during this time initially retain a higher amount of moisture.

We ask you to take the following precautions to allow your home to dry out properly and evenly.

• Ensure as much as possible vents on windows are left open and wipe away any condensation.
• Refrain from hanging pictures on your outside facing walls for 12 weeks.
• Keep furniture away from walls to allow air to ventilate behind them.
• Ensure your washing machine and dryer are correctly ventilated.
• When cooking food, boiling the kettle or taking a shower, ensure your kitchen or bathroom door is kept closed to prevent the moisture in the air from going into colder rooms which will cause condensation.
• If you do need to dry your clothes indoors, we recommend you use the bathroom with the door closed and windows open.
• Use extractor fans as much as possible to allow moist air to ventilate from your home.
• Minimise opening of the loft hatch as in the cold weather the warm air quickly turns to moisture and can cause condensation within the roof space.
• Ensure your home is adequately heated, this will reduce the likelihood of condensation.
• We recommend that you do not store items in your roof space.
• When the weather is warmer, open windows and doors to increase ventilation.
• To isolate your outside tap, please use the external stop tap in the driveway or footpath leading to the property.