Mouldy, Wet Room

charlie792

Around mid-september I informed my Estate agents about some damp issues in the flat, the landlord came round an inspected (the main issue was actually in the lounge which has been sorted) however I did also direct him to our bedroom as condensation was becoming a big problem.

Now the thing is we have a big old Victorian property, the bedroom is in the front and has the big bay windows as a result there is so much condensation it runs down the walls - it is past the point of just being streaky but actually fully soaked and going mouldy on almost a daily basis. I try to wipe the windows down when I can but as they are so ridiculously tall I can only reach around half way up, and that only seems to solve the problem for half the day - by the evening they are condensated and running down the walls again.

The Landlord told me we need to open the windows more and was a joy of properties like this - I have tried but all it did was freeze the house and leave me spending the next week or so warming it up again - another joy of big windows....

The trouble is it is now not just the area under the windows which is mouldy - both bits of wall to the side and around the corners to internal walls are very wet and mouldy and on one side has patches up and down the wall, Im a little wary as it is around a plug socket also. The floor in the front room is always very damp also, I once left my notepad on the floor - I had to throw it away the next morning.

Is this really a simple case of poor ventilation as it is the only room in the house which has this issue?
It has been suggested that a dehumidifier might work but I want to know if this is actually worth buying because Im worried it could be a result of something more severe like rising damp?

Yorkie1

Link to your existing thread on similar issues for other posters' reference:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2890248

keystone

Having just read your other thread I'd suggest your best course of action is to give your notice and move somewhere else. The LL doesn't seem helpful at all.

Cheers

forgotmyname

If you keep the property warm 24/7 the condensation will clear, The problem is your are warming the room up then when
it cools you get condensation collecting. You repeat the cycle daily.

Either keep the rooms cooler or keep them heated.

*miaomiao*

Maybe try asking if you LL will supply a dehumidifier which could stay with the property when you leave? Otherwise, move. This sounds like a horrible house to live in as far as heating.

You can also contact your local Housing Standards officer at the council to ask about this. It might sounds initially like an extreme idea, but it isn't and they could give you helpful advice or arrange a visit. It might be more than a simple issue and mould/mildew is very damaging to your health.

We also live in a Victorian flat with huge windows. Having a dehumidifier this year has been much better overall for heating, condensation and mildew (the latter is thankfully only in the windowless bathroom). Through a combination of the following we've been able to minimise things:

1. When doing laundry run the laundry on the highest spin cycle (even twice) to remove any excess water in clothes.
2. When hanging out the clothes, place them next to a dehumidifier running on 40% humidity levels (this will remove a lot of water from the air and your clothes - you will be surprised.) Running a dehumidifier really assists with drying clothes and costs very little compared to running a dryer (although I would use a dryer if we really had a big damp problem and if we had a dryer). It is also much easier to heat a home when the air is drier.
3. Dry dishes up with a cloth when washed.
4. Don't leave the sink full of water after dishes are washed.
5. Leave the bathroom fan on for 1 hour or so after showering (until the walls look dry). Occasionally remove limescale on bathroom walls and showerhead using bleach water solution or vinegar. This helps to keep mildew down. On extreme occasions I've poured thick bleach through its nozzle onto the grout where the mildew has begun to turn it orange/black.
6. Using a solution of bleach and water and a cloth, remove mildew when it begins to appear on walls and ceilings (be sure to open your windows for ventilation and wear gloves to protect your hands).
7. Wipe down condensation on windows in the morning.
8. Move the dehumidifier from room to room if necessary.

You might want to have a look at other posts on the forum here, like the one 'Preparing for Winter' where people have lined their curtains with fleeces to help with the cold. I once re-sealed the windows to help with drafts also.

Above all, do heat your place well and ask here for advice on how to use your boiler properly if you don't know how. I was surprised at the specific advice given for our boiler. Be sure your radiators don't have any air in them as they might need bleeding in order to heat properly.

Good luck!

*miaomiao*

One more thing to check would be the guttering outside. We had quite bad interior damp including mildew due to leaky guttering where the rain had dripped through and soaked the walls. Having the guttering fixed solved this.

BTW, be sure you are writing to your landlord even if it's just to confirm what you said on the phone.

charlie792

Wow I must have made my flat sound horrible as everyone seems to be telling me to move...its not that bad really!

As for moving at the moment that certainly isnt an option and I certainly wouldn't blame the landlord - infact he's been very good, had a new oven with us within a day when ours broke over the bank holiday weekend. Id say it was just an inevitable part of the type of house.

In regard to my other thread it is only the lounge which is cold - the heating in all the other rooms is lovely, likewise the damp problem is only in the bedroom, its a bit of an inconvinence having to keep it clean but not the end of the world - For now I have bought a few of those dehumidifying boxes so will see if that will do anything in the short term, I might try asking about a dehumidifier but if not I might get one ourselves although they do seem a bit pricey...