Damp

Imelda

Hi all,

We bought our victorian terrace at the end of last year. The survey brought up a damp problem (not totally unexpected as it has a semi basement) and we then instructed an independent damp specialist to advise us on the remedies, the mortgage company insisted that we had the work done within 3 months of completion. Going on that report we got 3 companies round to give us estimates and eventually had the work done in Feb this year. The work involved tanking around the bay and alcove by the chimney breast, horizontal DPC to the adjoining walls.

Following this work we had the rest of the room skimmed, a coat of trade matt white applied and skirting boards stuck on as we were told it would take at least 6 months for the plaster to dry. We also had a wooden floor laid.

To be honest we only did the work because of the mortgage company's insistence, we didn't actually think it was a damp room (no signs of it, even during the cold wet winter we suffered).

Roll around to this weekend and we now have visible signs of damp :mad: in one "treated" area and also in the opposite alcove next to the fireplace. The bottom of the wall above the skirting is damp to the touch and you can see a tide mark a few inches up the wall.

So fricking unhappy, I *knew* we shouldn't have done the work, we spent £2.5k on it and have spent a further £2k on the floor (which, I am guessing will need to be ripped up now).

I am calling the company back today but having read the terms of the "guarantee" I think I have a cat in hells chance of even getting them round to look at it.

I am half hoping he will just say the plaster hasn't fully dried out yet- is this completely ridiculous?

Other than that can someone point me in the direction of advice/ companies that actually help prevent damp rather than selling chemicals and bits of plastic that just do not work?

Please no posts about how incredibly stupid we have been, have lost enough sleep as it is.

Thanks.

littlesnuggy

Is it a wavy line a couple of inches above the skirting, and only there? Sometimes that happens when the plasterers don't leave the required 'breather gap' at the bottom of the wall, so instead they take the wall plaster right down behind the skirting and into the floor so damp can be wicked up... To check, get a pallet knife and slide it under the skirting board; measure the depth and then compare that with the depth of the skirting board at the top - if it's the same, then no gap has been left and 'all' that needs doing is the skirting boards taking off and the bottom of the plaster hacking off... worth investigating!

jillyjacks

I'm having the same kind of problem at the minute and I'm being told its not damp its condensation??

Debtomaniak

Hi Imelda,

I have no advice, but just wanted to say I am sorry to hear you are having problems with dampness. I called the guy who did DPC in my flat only yesterday and waiting for him to show up... Hope your stains turn out to be easily treated. It is so frastrating, isn't it!

D

Swipe

It has been very humid these last 2 days. As has already been stated, it may just be condensation as a result of the last 2 days. For example, my bathroom tiled floor has been soaking wet with condensation where the hot damp air hits the cold floor. This happens in my bathroom a few times a year, mostly in winter when it goes very mild after a really cold spell.

Imelda

Thanks all, really reassuring! I think condensation could be a good call, I know the plaster doesn't go all the way down as we took the skirting off to have the floor laid and it definitely stopped about 1.5inches above.

So, what remedies are there for condensation? Better ventilation? Dehumidifier?

I have spoken to the damp company, I'm actually quite impressed that they had no problem coming back and have scheduled an appointment for next week- will be reassuring if he says the same thing.

Good luck to everyone else going through the same thing.

Swipe

My bathroom floor condensation cleared up within hours as the temperature dropped when colder air moved in. I get the problem a couple of times a year (mostly in winter time). In case anyone else finds this odd it's because it's a bungalow and the bathroom tiles are laid on the cold concrete floor.

Leif

Swipe wrote: »

My bathroom floor condensation cleared up within hours as the temperature dropped when colder air moved in. I get the problem a couple of times a year (mostly in winter time). In case anyone else finds this odd it's because it's a bungalow and the bathroom tiles are laid on the cold concrete floor.

I've just bought a bungalow with screed floors, and there were plastic floor tiles that did exactly that.

Condensation can of course also be caused by lack of air movement, and by damp air, due for example to a poorly vented bathroom or kitchen.

Imelda

The more I think about it, condensation makes sense. The dining room is off the kitchen and utility rooms. As I've said it's in a semi basement so doesn't get overly hot and so we rarely have the windows open. Added to that we have laid an engineered wooden floor where before there were striped floorboards (which would have offered greater ventilation I imagine).

Relief here (and all windows now open and looking into extractor fans/ vents for kitchen and utility rooms). Thanks all

emjay99

Dont go overboard on fans or vents. Even a few simple 1/2 or 3/4 inch holes can provide enough trickle ventilation to slowly dry out a house. Remember that the hot air carries the moisture and incoming cold air is actually drier that exhaust air, so let in a little cold air at a low level and let out the hot air higher up . Too much fanpower and you will never use it in winter as a freezing shower room is worse than a warm and steamy shower room. Remember that eco lights replace good sources of dry heat. We reduced our lighting power consumption by about 1000 watts and have been rewarded with a mould situation in the cold corners of our flint house !