Damp smell after rain (getting stronger!)

kazmako

Hi
There's a really bad damp smell which seems to be coming from the front wall of my living room, maybe under the window. It only appears (can a smell appear?) a day or two after rain, but now with all this rain its a permanent feature of the room and it really really stinks. Its embarrassing to have visitors because they have to put up with this smell and I just don't know what to do about it (apart from becoming a hermit).
I haven't got a clue what to look for - I've checked the front wall of the house but can't really see anything. I've got laminate floor so I can't even check the floorboards. I don't even know who to ask for help; if I phone a company it would just have to be pot luck from the Yellow Pages and they could tell me anything and I'd believe them!
Any ideas please? I'm really worried.:(

Thanks

Suzy_M

Simple explanations of possible reasons here -

http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/workshop/damp_problems.htm

- at least enough info for you to eliminate the simpler causes before ripping off plaster and lifting floor boards.

If you can post or provide a link to a good clear image of the outside of the affected wall it would help others identify other possible causes.

kazmako

Thanks Suzy M.
I've just been looking outside again and the brickwork under the window all just looks normal to me. I'm worried about what's lurking behind it and under the floorboards, though. The smell is still strong and its depressing to come home to it. I really need some advice - do I call a builder or a company that deals with just damp? Will they charge just for advice? I wish I knew somebody who could just have a look and tell me what to do impartially without the whole 'sharp intake of breath' routine! That's what I'm dreading.

ukmaggie45

Broken or leaking drain?

Something died under the floorboards?

I do really feel for you, I think you will have to try and take up some floorboards and take a look under them. Good luck, and please let us know how it goes.

Best wishes from Liverpool (where we seem to have had more or less constant rain since they brought in the hosepipe ban!)

kazmako

Thanks ukMaggie... I'm in Liverpool too so I know how you feel!
I've got laminate flooring which I don't know how to take up. Does it get ruined when its taken up, or will I be able to have it put down again?

ukmaggie45

kazmako wrote: »

Thanks ukMaggie... I'm in Liverpool too so I know how you feel!
I've got laminate flooring which I don't know how to take up. Does it get ruined when its taken up, or will I be able to have it put down again?

I think it depends on the laminate. Some of it says it can be taken up and relaid up to X times (depending on the make I think, 3 or 4 maybe?) but some will be wrecked by taking it up. Sorry I can't be more helpful!

If you think that you may have damp issues, search out posts by Davedampski and David Aldred on the forums. Both have lots of useful information in their posts. Maybe PM them and ask if they have any idea what the problem might be?

Are there any air bricks in your front wall? Just wondered if it might be possible to try and look through those maybe with one of those endoscope thingies (think you can get them at Maplins though not sure how much they cost).

Read elsewhere that we may be in for an early autumn with gales etc from the end of August, so might be a good idea to try and get this sorted before the rain sets in permanently! :eek: Or we could get together and build an Ark!