Is this rising damp and is it a health issue?

jonmondalson

I am concerned that there might be rising damp in my house, both from a financial perspective and also from a health perspective. I have asked the council's environmental health department to come to look at it and they're coming later in the week.

Could anyone with a bit of experience look at these two pictures and tell me if it is rising damp, but also if it might be unhealthy? The first picture shows a tide mark on the wall, and the second shows some weird white fluffy mould on the back of a cupboard that's been pushed up against the wall:
imageshack.us/scaled/landing/26/1001023ft.jpg
imageshack.us/scaled/landing/407/1001025f.jpg

Is it a big job to fix this if it is rising damp? Any idea of how long it could take and how much it might cost?

Many thanks in advance.

southcoastrgi

Leif

I doubt it. You do sometimes see mould like that in places with poor airflow, such as on walls behind pieces of furniture. It is possible that the wall is colder than the rest of the room, due to warm air not getting to it, and so you get condensation, and hence mould.

Southend1

It's probably just poor ventilation - air can't circulate behind when furniture is pressed against the wall. Just clean the mould off with bleach and leave an inch or two gap between the cupboard and the wall.

jonmondalson

Ok, thanks guys. I lifted the carpet today with a bit more light in the room and the floorboards underneath are wet to touch - please tell me this could be a side effect of poor ventilation too?

HarriDec

This is mould, caused by damp. Possibly from poor air circulation or maybe from water ingress (ie. a leak)

budgetdiyer

From the photos it looks like condensation to me. I can't really see a tide mark in the first photo.

Generally speaking if you are getting mould growth that is condensation, rising or penetrating damp usually is a stain / damp patch (with little actual mould growth).

As you describe the cupboard being up against the wall that suggests lack of airflow in that area hence the mould growth there.

cyclonebri1

It is condensation cased by lack of heat and lack of ventilation.
It's primarily the ventilation issue.

And yes, it is a serious health issue, it needs sorting.