Damp vs mould
While damp and mould are different phenomena, they are intimately linked.
Indoor moulds are reliant on a high level of relative humidity to grow. Visible mould is a key legible indicator that a house is suffering from a damp problem.
Of note is the fact that over 10% of my survey participants reported having mould at present, and having a past problem of damp that they were no longer experiencing. A further 2% reported a past problem of mould, combined with reporting they had never had a problem with damp. This is really interesting because it’s not possible to have mould without high levels of humidity – suggesting that these households are still experiencing a problem with dampness, though they may not be as aware. This can often be the case when a damp problem improves, as the subjective markers of what constitutes dampness for some can be swayed to a very extreme level, leaving minor damp unregistered.
The two most common typologies of household damp are condensation and penetrating damp. Both encourage mould growth.