Damp in Ensuite - Taylor Wimpey

Mickygg

I'm a bit bemused by the responses. At the end of the day a new build should not have damp issues. I had a new build and if it had damp or condensation I would not stop at the builders until it was resolved.The OP could do no more to stop this and still it is a problem.
Someone can quote a house has x gallons of water in it all he/she wants but a new build should not have this problem.

Fire_Fox

Mickygg wrote: »

I'm a bit bemused by the responses. At the end of the day a new build should not have damp issues. I had a new build and if it had damp or condensation I would not stop at the builders until it was resolved.The OP could do no more to stop this and still it is a problem.
Someone can quote a house has x gallons of water in it all he/she wants but a new build should not have this problem.

Any property can have condensation issues if there is poor ventilation and/ or the resident is producing a lot of water. New build flats often suffer with condensation, it's often the older flats (eg. Victorian houses with the old sash windows) that are less air tight that don't.

Builders can resolve issues with a rubbish extractor fan, but they can't force residents to stop air drying laundry, use the extractors or open windows (general comment not a pop at the OP).

namecheck

Unfortunately this is not an uncommon problem.

New homes (flats or houses) are put up too quickly, quality of build is often not good, and as FireFox says, the fan may be carp and/or fitted incorrectly.

A year or so ago I viewed a newly built large detached house with a hefty price tag and there was a lot of mould visible. (The property was not potentially for me - although if it had been I would not have been impressed).

poppysarah

Fans need to be the right sort for the size of room.
It might be a not powerful enough fan or the setting might need altering.


One of the karcher window vacs strikes me as a good way of drying a shower BUT why on earth should you have to.
the room shouldn't get mouldy - unless the fan isn't sufficient for the room.

ash28

Mickygg wrote: »

I'm a bit bemused by the responses. At the end of the day a new build should not have damp issues. I had a new build and if it had damp or condensation I would not stop at the builders until it was resolved.The OP could do no more to stop this and still it is a problem.
Someone can quote a house has x gallons of water in it all he/she wants but a new build should not have this problem.

We moved into our first new build in May 1982 and were told by the builders not to decorate with either silk emulsion or wallpaper for at least a year, because the house was settling and drying out. They even gave us a big pot of their watered down flat emulsion for touching up the walls.

The first winter was an eye opener - we had water running down the windows and had to mop the windows and windowsills every morning - it drove me absolutely insane - and I was all for replacing the windows. Fortunately we like to sleep with a window slightly open winter and summer.

However by the second winter those problems had disappeared - and that was in days before we had virtually hermetically sealed new builds.

We have a four year old house now, bought last year and it is extremely well insulated (great for our heating bills) and the ensuite for the main bedroom had a "musty" damp smell when we viewed and when we moved in. Initially we thought the shower was leaking, but OH spotted a small bit of peeling wallpaper in the corner next to the top of the shower enclosure and said he thought it might be condensation - which it did prove to be. The room does have a window (velux) so opened it and within 2 days the smell had gone - we use the extractor whenever the shower is used and leave the window open a tiny amount almost all of the time. No problems.

Bear in mind 2 people at home all day will produce 3 pints of water just by breathing.
A bath or shower will produce 2 pints.
Drying your clothes indoors 9 pints

And if you have a practically draught proof house all of that moisture has to go somewhere.

terrierlady

check the extractor goes outside and is connected????

randallst

Hi All,

Sorry for the slow reply, I havent had access to my computer for a lil while!

I have uploaded 2 pictures to Photobucket for people to judge (see link)
http://s1229.beta.photobucket.com/user/randallst/library/Stuff/Mould

These pictures are taken aprox. 3 days after cleaning walls down with bleach. This keeps reoccurring.

I found this story below when I googled about Taylor Wimpey last week;
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/we_are_totally_trapped_nightmare_of_young_costessey_couple_whose_new_home_is_riddled_with_mould_1_1677525

I really don't know what to do as 50% are saying it's expected, 50% saying it shouldn't happen. Obviously Taylor Wimpey are going to put off anything they can anyways.

Fire_Fox

Use a proper mould remover - Dettox or HG. Spray on and leave then wash down later, don't just wipe over the walls that won't kill all the spores. Have you checked the extractor is properly vented to the outside? Have you been opening windows daily? Are you air drying laundry indoors?

If you want independent advice on condensation and mould check out most council and housing association websites. They all say lifestyle is a key culprit and lifestyle modification/ ventilation is your first port of call.

randallst

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Use a proper mould remover - Dettox or HG. Spray on and leave then wash down later, don't just wipe over the walls that won't kill all the spores.

Have you checked the extractor is properly vented to the outside? Have you been opening windows daily? Are you air drying laundry indoors?

I have been using Dettol on the walls but I haven't left to wash down later. I will attempt this later and see if it makes the situation better.

I have had an electrician come and check the Fan and is working fine and is being vented outside.

Unfortunatly I do not have a window in the Ensuite and I rely on the Fan. I have been opening the bedroom window and leaving the ensuite door open to try and help, if it does or not is a different story.

I do not air dry clothes in the bedroom, I mainly use the kitchen (when guests not present). I have started to air in garage as well to help with the issues mentioned from previous replies.

Fire_Fox

randallst wrote: »

I have been using Dettol on the walls but I haven't left to wash down later. I will attempt this later and see if it makes the situation better.

I have had an electrician come and check the Fan and is working fine and is being vented outside.

Unfortunatly I do not have a window in the Ensuite and I rely on the Fan. I have been opening the bedroom window and leaving the ensuite door open to try and help, if it does or not is a different story.

I do not air dry clothes in the bedroom, I mainly use the kitchen (when guests not present). I have started to air in garage as well to help with the issues mentioned from previous replies.

Opening the bedroom window daily should make a difference, water gets released as we breathe overnight this has to go somewhere. If you also have an en suite shower the humidity levels will get very high very easily.

Stop air drying laundry indoors or use an electric dehumidifier in the same room. This releases many pints of water and it will travel around the house, it's not recommended by any authoritiy on the subject.