世論 What Japan Thinks

With the rainy season over for all of Japan and the worst of the stifling humidity almost past, let’s take a look with MyVoice at a recent survey on what people think about household damp.

Demographics

Over the first five days of July 2007 13,139 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample was male, 2% in their teens, 18% in their twenties, 39% in their thirties, 27% in their forties, and 14% aged fifty or older.

Luckily, we have a fancy bathroom that includes a drying feature, but my main concern about dampness is a stickiness on the veneer flooring. The moisture removing feature of our air conditioners keep the air clear, but the unpleasant feeling underfoot is much more difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of.

Our last flat, however, was a real moisture magnet, and especially in the bedroom during the winter moisture would accumulate really easily, and no amount of water-repelling spray or other devices could get around that problem.

Research results

Q1: Have you ever felt a problem or discomfort regarding dampness? (Sample size=13,139)

Often	47.0%
Sometimes	43.4%
Not often	8.1%
Never	0.8%
Just not aware of dampness	0.7%

Q2: Which months have you felt discomfort regarding dampness? (Sample size=those who have felt a problem, multiple answer)

January	8.0%
February	7.3%
March	3.2%
April	2.4%
May	14.4%
June	86.6%
July	74.8%
August	46.8%
September	26.2%
October	5.2%
November	2.3%
December	6.8%
Don’t know	1.5%
No answer	1.8%

Q3: Where about in your home do you worry about dampness? (Sample size=13,139, multiple answer)

Bathroom	59.1%
Closet	37.7%
Dressing room	37.5%
Bedroom	36.4%
Kitchen	32.8%
Living room	26.4%
Toilet	24.6%
All throughout the house	20.3%
Shoes box	19.0%
Around windows	17.8%
Entrance hall	16.1%
Corridor	5.8%
Other	2.0%
No particular place for concern	3.2%
No answer	0.3%

Q4: What sort of issues do you worry about regarding damp in your home? (Sample size=those with locations they worry about, multiple answer)

Just a general clammy feeling	71.6%
Mold forms	61.1%
Smells	47.8%
Clothes don’t dry	37.3%
Floor, etc is sticky	35.7%
Food goes off quickly	25.6%
Attracts insects	17.3%
Other	4.2%
No points of concern	0.5%
No answer	0.5%

Q5: What measures do you take to avoid dampness in your home? (Sample size=13,139, multiple answer)

Open and close windows often to change the air	65.3%
Use drying feature of air conditioner	46.6%
Use an extractor fan	34.0%
Dry blankets and clothes outside	26.9%
Use a dessicant	26.6%
Use an electric fan	25.0%
Clean things thoroughly	17.6%
Thoroughly mop up moisture and water drips, etc	12.6%
Apply anti-moisture film to windows	6.0%
Don’t keep plants indoors	3.4%
Repair, replace doors or windows	0.4%
Other	1.0%
Don’t take any particular measures	7.4%
No answer	0.3%