We’re trialling the use of a small piece of equipment called a thermo-hygrometer as part of our ongoing work to prevent potential issues with damp and mould in our customers’ homes.
We’ll be trying them out in some of our homes for three months to see how well they work. After that, we’ll decide if we want to use them in all our homes.
We might get in touch with you some time in the next three months to hear what you’ve got to say about being part of the trial and if you’ve found having a thermo-hygrometer useful. But whatever we decide, you’ll be able to keep yours.
FAQs
A thermo-hygrometer is a fancy name for a small device that measures temperature and humidity.
We want to help you make sure you’re living in a home that’s warm and healthy. Keeping your home at the right temperature and making sure levels of humidity aren’t too high will help prevent damp and mould.
Normal day-to-day activities like having a bath or shower, or drying washing indoors can increase the humidity levels in your home. In some homes, these high humidity levels can contribute to condensation, damp and mould.
You might see condensation on your windows, walls or ceilings, particularly in the morning (though it can be at any time of day), or after you've been cooking or bathing. You might also see condensation when it's cold outside. If that moisture doesn't quickly evaporate it can settle on a colder surface. Wiping down these wet surfaces can help, as well as making sure you home is properly heated and ventilated.
The thermo-hygrometer will make it easy for you to see if something’s not quite right, and there might be some simple things you can do to improve things, or you might need some help from us.
The best place for your thermo-hygrometer is to sit it on a countertop or a shelf in your lounge or bedroom (it has a little stand on the back to prop it up). It also has a keyhole slot on the back for hanging on a wall.
It should be out of direct sunlight and away from draughts, ideally about a meter away from doors and windows. And please don’t put it in on the floor or in your bathroom, because it won’t be able to do its job properly and the info you get won’t be accurate.
You’ll see three sections on the screen. The top one is a coloured-coded dial, which gives an ‘at a glance’ view of the humidity comfort levels in your home. On the bottom left, you’ll see the exact temperature and on the bottom right, the exact level of humidity in your home.
For a warm and healthy home and to help reduce the risk of damp and mould, a temperature of between 16°C and 23°C is best.
For humidity, ideally you’re looking for readings of between 30% and 60%. It’s perfectly normal and healthy to have some humidity in your home but if you’re consistently seeing readings of over 60%, there might be a higher chance of having a problem with damp and mould.
Don’t panic, this simply means the level of humidity in your home is a bit higher than normal. Head over to our main damp and mould info page and check out our advice on how to best to reduce humidity and the risk of damp and mould in your home.
If you’re consistently seeing humidity readings of over 60% and the comfort dial is in the ‘wet’ zone for more than three days in a row, please give us a call on 0345 366 4404 so that we can look into things for you.
Again, no need to panic! This simply means the level of humidity in your home is a bit on the low side. If you’re consistently seeing readings of under 30%, even doing something as simple as adding a few house plants will make a difference.
- oC/oF - switches the temperature between Celsius and Fahrenheit
- Max/Min - shows the highest maximum and minimum temperatures and humidity you’ve had in your home
- Clear – this clears and resets the maximum and minimum temperature info
The only way you can see the info is by looking at the thermo-hygrometer. It’s not stored or sent anywhere else, and the only way anyone will be able to see it is if you share it with them.
The thermo-hygrometer comes with 2 x AAA batteries, which should last for a couple of years.
If you can’t find the info you’re looking for on our damp and mould page, or you’re not sure how to use your thermo-hygrometer, drop us an email to or give us a call on 0345 366 4404.