Another damp issue!!

Mickygg

Hi all

So I've finally moved into my new place, but the downside is the damp that the surveyor pointed out has got worse in the meantime.


The surveyor said the damp was not bad. A damp company quoted £2k to tank one of the walls, to which surveyor said this was way ott a when we get in just ventilate and see what happens!!


However it now smells all musty and I'm embarrassed when people come round, and don't want my clothes all stinking.


I've been researching damp and how so much work is done that is wrong or not necessary and my surveyor and a damp expert could not agree on the cause of the dmp or how to rectify!!


I'm wondering if a dehumidifier will help for now. Does anyone know if this will help?


If anyone has any words of wisdom I'm all ears.

Fire_Fox

What sort of property, flat or house, which floor? What sort of damp did the surveyor say you have - rising, penetrating, condensation, a combination? Who was the damp expert, were they independent? If your clothing is damp that suggests the air is wet, what are you doing to limit your own production of water vapour each day? Are you air drying clothes indoors, taking long showers, opening windows daily, keeping lids on pans when you cook? Sounds like you will need a dehumidifier before winter, yes.

G_M

Mickygg wrote: »

Hi all


The surveyor said the damp was not bad. A damp company quoted £2k to tank one of the walls, to which surveyor said this was way ott a when we get in just ventilate and see what happens!!

This is a basement? :eek:

Mickygg

Fire_Fox wrote: »

What sort of property, flat or house, which floor? What sort of damp did the surveyor say you have - rising, penetrating, condensation, a combination? Who was the damp expert, were they independent? If your clothing is damp that suggests the air is wet, what are you doing to limit your own production of water vapour each day? Are you air drying clothes indoors, taking long showers, opening windows daily, keeping lids on pans when you cook? Sounds like you will need a dehumidifier before winter, yes.

This is a house on the bottom floor that is built into the bank as the house is on a steep hill. No it's not a basement, the back wall is built into the bank/hill.
The surveyor said it was rising damp, they were a firm the EA had in once I said it would cost £2k to fix (after speaking to a friends builder over the phone as estimate). My surveyor said the company had been known to do work that wasn't necessary.
We only moved in a few days ago and I plan to open windows and air as much as I can, but the rain has made this impossible.
Ok thanks I will look into getting a dehumidifier.
I was hoping I could have a few months before I was hit with this damp getting worse but looks like I was wrong!

pararct

Can the wall be studded out? One of the solutions on offer now is to take the plaster off the wall back to the brickwork. Stud it out with treated wood battens insulate with poly and plastic sheeting and then cover with foil backed plasterboard.

Re-plaster, paper and bobs your uncle.

I have used this method before on a damp wall and it has worked very well. The builder I employed gave the life of the plasterboard wall at 20 years+.

Of course every job is different and it would depend on how much damp is getting through but worth considering.

Fire_Fox

Mickygg wrote: »

This is a house on the bottom floor that is built into the bank as the house is on a steep hill. No it's not a basement, the back wall is built into the bank/hill.
The surveyor said it was rising damp, they were a firm the EA had in once I said it would cost £2k to fix (after speaking to a friends builder over the phone as estimate). My surveyor said the company had been known to do work that wasn't necessary.
We only moved in a few days ago and I plan to open windows and air as much as I can, but the rain has made this impossible.
Ok thanks I will look into getting a dehumidifier.
I was hoping I could have a few months before I was hit with this damp getting worse but looks like I was wrong!

I'd be inclined to believe the surveyor.

You would be amazed how much water one person produces each day, you can massively improve damp air simply by working on your own habits. Clearly you can't stop breathing (!) but open the windows daily year round - yes even if it rains - I do this and notice an improvement to the condensation.

Also have the door closed and window open/ extractor on when you shower, leave the door closed and window open/ extractor on when you are done. If you don't have windows and/ or the bathroom extractor doesn't vent externally, turn the shower off whilst you are soaping up, just on to wet and rinse only. Have your partner consider leave in conditioner to reduce rinsing time and thus water vapour. Never air dry clothing indoors, always use lids on cooking pans.

Most people hate opening windows year round or it's not terribly practical which is where a dehumidifier comes in, get one that is powerful enough with a large capacity so you are not emptying water out every two minutes.

asharon

Also, I used to keep my heating low but now I turn it up to more "normal" levels. Drying clothes, they can add a lot of moisture to the house and in winter it has no where to go.

Parts of my house are against a bank also and I' battening out some walls and then plaster boarding, I'm considering using bathroom plasterboard, but I did think earlier today that the best option was to paint the inside of the paster board with anti damp paint to protect it. I'm no prof it is just an idea. The problem with treating the walls is that it can make problems worse, although it depends what you read and where.

Another wall that is completely against the bank I have rendered and will bitumen paint it and then render again and then plaster board.