A TV star has issued important advice as part of a health warning to UK homeowners, as many face a common winter weather problem indoors -mould and damp. Both can seriously affect the look and structure of properties and cause worrying health problems for some.

Speaking on BBC's Morning Live, Homes Under the Hammer presenter Jacqui Joseph explained how a common sight around most UK homes could be coming from a major winter weather problem, which she says is important to check for regularly in cold weather. A peak time for damp and mould in UK homes is during the winter months, spanning from October until as late as March.

As well as being unsightly, damp and mould can be an expensive problem to fix, depending on their severity. It can also lead to serious health issues like coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, and infections, to name a few.

However, for people wanting to prevent the problem altogether, there are a few simple steps to make sure that homes are not set up to allow the issues to thrive. Urging viewers to take her advice, which could be a big help, Jacqui said: "Decluttering is the key, because if you don't declutter and you have packed shelves or piles of books and papers, air is not going to circulate [as well]."

When air fails to flow freely, it stops on surfaces like windows and walls. This is what turns to condensation that quickly becomes damp or mould. The property expert shared some tips for every room in the house to cut back on what makes the serious winter problem much worse.

She said: "Look at the cupboards, this could be a cupboard in a hallway or under the stairs. If it's jam-packed, because those are the sorts of places we throw things in, that is a real danger for potential damp, thus mould. I bet if you've got that cupboard under the stairs [that runs on an angle] - think, what's in that [far bottom] corner and how long has it been there?"

Jacqui suggested that people should "take everything out" and get rid of things that are taking up space by throwing them away or donating them in good condition to charity. She also pointed out the bathroom - a common area of the house that gets wet and damp anyway through showering and bathing.

Jacqui said: "A lot of bathrooms, and certainly some I've been to for Homes under the Hammer, they don't all have windows. If your bathroom doesn't have a window, which depends on the era of the house or if the house has maybe been chopped up into apartments, they'll only have vents.

"If you only have a vent, make sure it is working efficiently and make sure it's clean." Afterwards, it's a good idea to wipe around commonly wet areas like the rim of the bath or shower tray - but never forget to air out shelves that could be hiding potential moisture traps."

If the bathroom doesn't have a window, consider leaving the door open for a little bit after having your bath or shower to let air circulate and avoid becoming trapped in that room.

Mould is caused by airborne spores landing on wet or damp surfaces with organic material, thriving in humid, poorly ventilated conditions where moisture (from condensation, leaks, or flooding) is present. Not catching it in time can be the difference between stopping the problem in its tracks and letting it linger.

Mould can grow on lots of different surfaces, including walls, wood, and carpets. Things like excess moisture from showers, cooking, leaks, or high humidity put rooms at risk. In some cases, the perfect environment for mould can develop within 48 hours.

Mould is harmful to your health because it lets out allergens, irritants, and sometimes harmful substances called mycotoxins into the air. This can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, respiratory infections, and can irritate your eyes, skin, nose, and throat. This is especially true for sensitive people, kids, older adults, or anyone with a weak immune system.

Breathing in mould spores can make you sneeze, give you a runny nose, red eyes, rashes, coughing, and wheezing. If you are around mould for a long time, it can make asthma worse and lead to more serious lung problems.