rising damp but dehumidifier not extracting water

CharlieRabbit01

Hi all

I couldn't find the right board but I know there is a lot of knowledge here on the issue of damp.

We've got rising damp, whilst work is going ahead outside to remedy the issue a dehumidifier has been put inside.

The dehumidifier has been on 24/7 since Saturday morning but we've only seen about 50mm water in that which itself has disappeared.

Is the dehumidifier broken? (Its hired by the builder).

theartfullodger

(Depending on where you are...) it's been pretty warm & dry across large bits of UK so maybe the humidity is low.

I'd buy one - about £120 - and see what that comes up with.

Having said that, a humidifier for rising damp is a bit like a bailing bucket as the Titanic goes down: It's curing the rising damp that matters...

CharlieRabbit01

I'm in Surrey and it has been warm.

I'm in rented so its being dealt with by the landlord.

The garden came half way up the wall so they've dug a trench and I believe they are putting bitumen paint on the wall then a French drain.

They dropped the dehumidifier off to dry out the wall for replastering and painting.

But so far has next to no water in it, I don't really want it running for weeks due my electric bill.

anselld

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

Hi all

I couldn't find the right board but I know there is a lot of knowledge here on the issue of damp.

We've got rising damp, whilst work is going ahead outside to remedy the issue a dehumidifier has been put inside.

The dehumidifier has been on 24/7 since Saturday morning but we've only seen about 50mm water in that which itself has disappeared.

Is the dehumidifier broken? (Its hired by the builder).

Yes it is broken. Don't waste electricity running it. Either replace or as above let it dry out naturally once the DPC is fixed.

CharlieRabbit01

Thanks. I'll speak to the builder tomorrow.

ariba10

A dehumidifier will only take moisture out of the air,

Do you have a Humidity Meter to check the humidity level.,

G_M

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

I'm in Surrey and it has been warm.

I'm in rented so its being dealt with by the landlord.

The garden came half way up the wall so they've dug a trench and I believe they are putting bitumen paint on the wall then a French drain.

They dropped the dehumidifier off to dry out the wall for replastering and painting.

But so far has next to no water in it, I don't really want it running for weeks due my electric bill.

First - you don't have rising damp. The damp is not 'rising' up the wall from below - it is Penetrating Damp.

Having said that, the builders appear to be taking constructive action by reducing the external ground level.

Putting bitumen paint immediately onto the outside of the wall is just plain stupid. If the wall is damp
* the bitumen will stop the damp being dried out by the external air
* it will force the existing damp inwards
* so drying out the wall will take much longer.
* they should wait till the wall has dried out and then (if necessary) apply the external B paint

If the humidifier is not extracting water from the air then either

* there is no damp or
* the humidifier does not work

kingstreet

If the soil level has bridged the DPC, the best thing to do is reduce the soil level, then monitor the moisture levels afterwards for a month or two, to see if any further action is necessary.

Expecting instant results is pointless, IMHO.

CharlieRabbit01

ariba10 wrote: »

A dehumidifier will only take moisture out of the air,

Do you have a Humidity Meter to check the humidity level.,

No don't have a meter.

G_M wrote: »

First - you don't have rising damp. The damp is not 'rising' up the wall from below - it is Penetrating Damp.

Having said that, the builders appear to be taking constructive action by reducing the external ground level.

Putting bitumen paint immediately onto the outside of the wall is just plain stupid. If the wall is damp
* the bitumen will stop the damp being dried out by the external air
* it will force the existing damp inwards
* so drying out the wall will take much longer.
* they should wait till the wall has dried out and then (if necessary) apply the external B paint

If the humidifier is not extracting water from the air then either

* there is no damp or
* the humidifier does not work

Rising is what they called it. So far a trench has been dug to below the internal floor level and that's it, the guy is currently painting the windows.

There is definitely damp on the wall you can feel it.

kingstreet wrote: »

If the soil level has bridged the DPC, the best thing to do is reduce the soil level, then monitor the moisture levels afterwards for a month or two, to see if any further action is necessary.

Expecting instant results is pointless, IMHO.

The building is 1900ish(age) so I'm not sure if there even is a DPC or its just failed.

I've turned off the humidifier for now if its done nothing over 4 days I can't see it doing anything over the next few.

specialboy

If you are in rented then the LL should be reimbursing you for the extra electricity you are using while the builders are in.

CharlieRabbit01

specialboy wrote: »

If you are in rented then the LL should be reimbursing you for the extra electricity you are using while the builders are in.

How would I go about doing that?