Old windows and damp

vroombroom

Hi folks

Just a query, I've posted on here before and always get brilliant advice.

Ok so we moved into a new rented house in August and everything has been fine. However in the last few weeks with the colder weather, we've put the heating on.

Now is the part I'm being quite thick, haha. In the bathroom there seems to be a lot of damp suddenly appeared on the ceiling and all the windows are literally dripping with condensation (its more like someone has washed them but not dried them!). The windows are quite old and drafty and look like a bit of a botch job (don't always shut properly and there are holes under the window sill in our bedroom, exposing brick).

Is there anything we can do cheaply to stop this? eg polyfilla?Will it stop the damp in the bathroom? Or should we email the landlord? x

thank guys!

tbs624

Do you open the windows/use a fan and shut the bathroom door after bathing/showering?

Google "Haringey Council " and "damp and condensation" for a useful pdf on what OOs and Ts can do to improve matters.

Aligned with that, however, the LL is statutorily obliged* to maintain the exterior and structure of the building so flag up any problems promptly to him, in writing with a copy kept. ( *Google s11 of the LL and T Act 1985)

vroombroom

thanks for that TBS, will get onto it sharpish.

The window in the bathroom is usually open when the room is in use but the door is normally open too. Funnily enough the damp is directly above the windowx

WestonDave

I'd guess that the damp is showing in the last say 6 inches near the wall, and above the window. If so you've got two things which are combining - firstly the lintel above the window will tend to transmit cold through the wall and where there is cold there will be condensation especially in a bathroom - condensation leads to mould. Secondly the loft insulation probably (correctly) doesn't reach right to the wall in order to allow proper air circulation within the loft.

To be honest with either of them there is little you can do other than ventilate and then dry these areas off after a suitable time. If there is mould starting I'd recommend Zinsser Perma White paint (although there are now other anti mould paints coming onto the more mainstream paint markets) which in my experience is good at solving the residual problem where insulation and ventilation have been dealt with as much as possible. A small tin should be enough to do the ceiling plus a suitable strip along the top of the wall - it can be overpainted if you don't want the walls white.

tbs624

Note though OP that you should still(a) notify the LL os the damp/condensation issue and (b) seek his consent before carrying out any remedials yourself, an action which should be a last resort.

Better_Days

vroombroom wrote: »

The window in the bathroom is usually open when the room is in use but the door is normally open too.

I would try keeping the window open all the time you are home rather than just when the bathroom is in use. See if that makes any difference.

Friend of mine recently complained that her rented house was getting damp, especially in the back bedroom which has a flat roof (possible poor insulation). Not helped that the bathroom only has an extractor, and no window.

Problem has been helped a lot by:
1) Having window open in hall (near bathroom) after use
2) Airing the house daily whatever the weather
3) Using a dehumidifier

Might be worth having a quick look at the gutters next time it rains to make sure no water penetrating in. Plus if you dry clothes on the rads, it will make matters worse. Although I appreciate that it is difficult this time of year when it is hard to dry washing outside and tumble dryers can be expensive to run.

Hope you get it sorted.

Fire_Fox

It's worth running an advanced search, there are threads on condensation and other forms of damp several times a week. Drafty windows do not cause damp, in fact they can reduce it by increasing ventilation. Windows or brickwork that let water in can obviously contribute to damp (penetrating). The drafts may make that area cooler which means the water in the air settles more easily on and around the windows. Mould paints are not the solution, reducing or eliminating the water is.

First establish if the issue is caused or contributed to by your lifestyle - don't underestimate how many pints of water each person produces in one day. Keep the door closed and window open during and after showering, NO air drying laundry indoors, lids on all pans when cooking and use extractor fans, ventilate the house by opening windows daily or use an electric dehumidifier. If you leave the bathroom door open the shower steam will escape into the rest of the house, increase the humidity and then water will later settle on the coolest places in house - often by windows.

If lifestyle modification and ventilation has little effect write to your landlord and report a problem with damp. If he fails to investigate or treat the issue or it worsens you can call Environmental Health in and they can enforce the landlord's repairing obligations. If the damp is caused by your lifestyle or you fail to report a problem with the house your deposit can be charged for any damage.

vroombroom

wow thanks for advice guys, brilliant as usual.

We have a tumble drier that is on every other day (under the bathroom) and we have a loft conversion as well, that has Velux windows and carpeted.

I'll use the advice you have all given, then contact the landlord if no difference.

Roll on the day I can buy my own place!

Fire_Fox

Where is the tumble dryer vented to? You can have condensation in your own home - it's generally down to resident lifestyle and effective ventilation. All the apartments in my block have metal window frames, no window in the bathroom and extractors that are not vented outside. My flat has the least mould around the windows of the flats I have been inside - not because it is owner occupied but because I open the windows daily all year round.