Dampness is caused by water seeping into your home because the protection provided by the roof, walls, windows, or floor has failed.

Condensation occurs when warm moist air reaches a cold surface such as walls, windows and furniture.

If you suspect damp, contact our Maintenance Department (or your Housing Officer) to arrange an inspection. We will then let you know what repairs, if any, are required.

How do you prevent condensation becoming a problem?

• Keep rooms warm and use windows and extractor fans (where provided) to ventilate your home, particularly in kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.
  
• If you are cooking, using the bathroom or drying clothes it helps to keep doors closed to prevent moist air and steam reaching other rooms.
  
• Make sure that air bricks or vents are free from blockages.
  
• Avoid using paraffin or liquid gas heaters because they give off large amounts of water vapour.

Electricity
Fuses may blow if lights or electrical appliances fail. To replace a fuse:

• switch off the mains supply
• unplug the appliance you think has caused the fuse to blow
• check the fuses in the fuse box to see which one has blown
• replace the burnt out fuse with new fuse wire of the same rating, either 5 amp, 15 amp or 30 amp.
• Switch on the mains supply

If you are unsure – leave well alone and contact an electrician
f the fuse blows again contact the Association as there may be a fault in the electrical system.

Circuit breakers are installed in some properties instead of fuses.

Circuit breakers are switches which automatically turn the electricity supply off, this happens in circumstances when a fuse would have blown. When this happens unplug the appliance which you think is causing the problem, reset the circuit breaker to the ‘on’ position.

If the supply goes off again contact the Association as there may be a fault in the electrical system.

Gas
If you smell gas

• Put out cigarettes
• Do not use matches or a naked flame
• Do not use electrical switches
• Open doors and windows to let the gas escape
• Check to see if a gas pilot light has gone out, or if a gas tap has been left on

If you think there is a gas leak, turn off the supply at the mains and immediately get in touch with the Maintenance Department, or if it is outside office hours contact British Gas.

Frost Precautions
Before winter check that all water pipes and tanks in the roof or outside are lagged, and report any that are not.

• Make sure taps are turned off at night
• If you have central heating, leave the radiator valves slightly open or set the room thermostat to about 50 Deg. F (10 Deg C.) if you are out during the day.
• Report any dripping taps or running overflows immediately

If you have a burst:

• Turn off the main stopcock and switch the immersion heater off (The main stopcock is usually under, or near, the sink. Check this when you move in) If in doubt please contact the Maintenance department.
  
• Turn all hot and cold taps on, to drain as much water off as possible.

If you are going away in the winter, please let us know. We can give you advice on how to stop your pipes from freezing while your home is empty.