damp?

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

We live in a rented house - decorated it up, done alot of work to it. been here under a year - went in DD bedrom earlier and where the chimney used to be there is now a fair amount of DAMP grrr :mad:

Going to look for my contract later but does LL have to sort damp out legally?

Hopejack

Interested in this as the house we are in has damp too and it's getting worse esp with the weather being so wet/damp/cold now It was there when we moved in and LL agreed this but it's got worse. I told them earlier in the week and am still waiting for them to decide if they are going to do anything about it! Not good when you have two small children in the house. The thing is, it's worst in the lounge so we just don't use that room - that in itself is an issue as it's not v warm in there/inhabited which clearly makes the prob worse! But there is no way I'm going to spend the day in a damp lounge with my young children!

Fire_Fox

Depends why there is damp! Has the chimney been removed or blocked up? If blocked up is there an airbrick or plastic vent and is it open? If it's been removed presumably that is an outside wall, therefore cold? Is there any condensation on the windows in the morning? Do you ventilate all bedrooms by opening the windows daily?

Damp can be rising damp (ground floor rooms, lower part of the wall), a patch of penetrating damp (leaking gutter or roof, bad pointing on brickwork) or condensation (water and mould around windows, behind furniture on cold external walls). Condensation is the most common in rental properties, and it's mainly down to lifestyle - showering, air drying clothes indoors, cooking without lids on pans, breathing at night - the solution is proper ventilation and/ or a dehumidifier.

Hopejack

FF - I don't want to hijack thread but I have to go around and wipe all the windows daily now and ensure I open all windows daily to let in some air. Makes for a pretty cold house!

My damp is in the lounge where the bay is - pretty common fault on these type of houses I think as they are single brick there and I believe not damp proofed - I can't see any signs of any. There are air bricks around there - not on the bay itself and are not covered up at all.

My LL doesn't seem in a rush to do anything to be fair - we've had a slight leak to our bathroom toilet pretty much since we moved in almost 2 years ago. Oh, I can't wait to live in my own house again!!!

Fire_Fox

Hopejack wrote: »

FF - I don't want to hijack thread but I have to go around and wipe all the windows daily now and ensure I open all windows daily to let in some air. Makes for a pretty cold house!

My damp is in the lounge where the bay is - pretty common fault on these type of houses I think as they are single brick there and I believe not damp proofed - I can't see any signs of any. There are air bricks around there - not on the bay itself and are not covered up at all.

My LL doesn't seem in a rush to do anything to be fair - we've had a slight leak to our bathroom toilet pretty much since we moved in almost 2 years ago. Oh, I can't wait to live in my own house again!!!

If you don't use the living room that will be the coldest room, so where any water in the air will settle: my spare bedroom is worst for that same reason. The fact that the wall is single skin will mean that is the coldest part of the room so, again, where the water will settle. If the problem is condensation a DPC won't make any difference that is for rising damp - wiping windows this is a clear sign of condensation so look at what you can do to stop the water at source.

If you aren't comfortable opening the windows daily consider a dehumidifier instead, and make sure you aren't air drying the cloths you use to wipe the windows indoors! If the problem is condensation there is little the landlord can or should do, tho it would be nice if he could provide the dehumidifier - have you written to him and asked for the damp to be investigated? If he refuses to at least investigate you can contact Environmental Health.

Hopejack

No I don't air clothes inside - I have a tumble dryer or when it's warm enough dry outside. The lounge doesn't get condensation on the windows, only the upstairs of the house does. Not much we can do about it apart from open the windows during the day as you say and wipe regularly - it was clearly a problem before we moved in as there is years of mould on the UPVC sills. Plus we don't have expel air type things in either of the bathrooms so that doesn't help as nowhere for steam to go - but again, windows open after every bath/shower.

The damp is rising damp in the lounge, not caused by condensation as there isn't any - there are also salt crystals forming on the outside brickwork! There is no DPC at all on the front and I doubt anywhere else in the house - put it this way, they don't like to spend any money on it and I don't think have since they bought it!

I have written to him, he's hoping to visit in a month or so and will look at it then, meanwhile it's a room we just can't use! :rolleyes:

Fire_Fox

Where does the tumble dryer vent? Bedroom condensation is largely breathing - keep the doors open while you sleep and consider a dehumidifier during the day. A month is too long to at least start investigating I would not accept that: contact EH about the rising damp if you don't get a satisfactory response from the landlord.

Hopejack

It is vented out of the garage so is properly vented.

I'm awaiting further word from the LL and will see what he says. I don't particularly want to start looking for a new place to live as it would mean starting a new 6 month contract which I don't want to do when I hope to move anyway.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

sorry - been away!

OK - I live in the middle of a 4 block of houses so no outside wall. The chimney is (i believe) blocked up. Now noticed damp in my bedroom too

(dont dry clothes in house, tumble dryer is vented outside)

no idea where it is coming from?!

Compingadict

Have you tried using a dehumidifier?

We had a problem with condensation as there were a lot of us living in a small flat and the dehumidifier made a huge difference.

Fire_Fox

mommyme wrote: »

sorry - been away!

OK - I live in the middle of a 4 block of houses so no outside wall. The chimney is (i believe) blocked up. Now noticed damp in my bedroom too

(dont dry clothes in house, tumble dryer is vented outside)

no idea where it is coming from?!

So the chimney breast is still in place, but the opening is no longer? Is there an air brick or plastic air vent? If so is this open/ the airflow not impeded by furniture? Where is the damp in your bedroom, another blocked chimney breast? Are you ventilating all the bedrooms on a daily basis? As already stated do not underestimate the amount of water vapour we breathe out at night.