One of the most interesting and certainly the most useful application of the Internet of Things (IOT) we have read about recently is the initiative of Mid Devon Housing to use Internet-enabled monitoring and diagnostic tools to address the issue of damp and mould in its housing stock.

In late 2023, the housing association installed 50 environmental sensors in 12 homes under their care, creating a real-time data stream with insights into air-quality, damp, and mould risk. The idea behind the initiative is to give the housing association early warning of mould and damp problems before they become noticeable issues.

Benefits Of The Initiative

This makes excellent sense from a financial perspective, because it facilitates a more proactive and cost-effective response to maintenance before damage really sets in.

The problem is that once mould becomes visible the issue is already going to be quite widespread, with an extensive network of spores in the plasterwork that could be difficult to remove, and a potentially long-standing dampness issue. Accurate monitoring gives the housing association the capacity to plan their resources more efficiently, with a maintenance schedule that reflects the current needs of their housing stock, and less need for reactive repairs in response to maintenance issues and complaints.

The initiative could also have benefits for tenant health, with improved air quality and reduced risk of respiratory health problems.

This is very much a trial run for the housing association, and implementing a monitoring infrastructure of this nature across a complete estate would be expensive and time-consuming. Nevertheless, it is one indication of how IOT devices could be used in a practical way to improve living conditions in social housing. We wish them every luck.

Drawbacks And Alternatives

Not everyone is a fan of this level of intrusive monitoring in the home, of course, and more than this, monitoring does nothing to actually solve the issue of damp in the home. UK housing is always going to be prone to damp, due to our position as an island on the western seaboard of Europe facing the North Atlantic.

The counterargument to technology-driven damp monitoring is to invest the money in practical measures to reduce the risk of leaks, which is the major cause of poor air quality and damp in housing stock.

Better ventilation and layouts to improve air circulation in new builds are two long-term strategies that property developers are actively involved with. Another suggestion is to look at the showering facilities used in housing stock. Traditional shower cubicles are the weak point of the home when it comes to leaks and damp. Most damp problems start in the shower room and the associated plumbing, before leaking out (metaphorically and literally in many cases) to affect surrounding rooms, floorboards, and even the structural elements of the building.

Addressing leaking showers, therefore, could be more effective long-term than installing an IOT monitoring system in each house.

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