Do I need a damp survey?

minimii123

I am not sure where to go next so wondered if anybody had encountered the same problem.

I bought my detached bungalow a year ago and had a homebuyers survey carried out. There were a few electrical issues highlighted which I have now sorted, but no problems regarding damp were highlighted. Since living in the property I noticed that my clothes in the main bedroom wardrobe (built in wardrobe on an external wall) were getting mould spots on them and that water droplets were forming on the ceiling inside the wardrobe so I asked a builder to investigate and he suggested fitting additional airbricks in the wall.

I have had this work done and I have also ripped out the built in wardrobes, replastered this wall and put freestanding wardrobes on the opposite internal wall with my ottoman storage bed headboard against the offending external wall. The result being that items I have stored under the bed have also got mould spots on them now.

In between doing this work I called the surveyor to say I thought I had a damp problem as mould spots had started appearing in the kitchen and lounge, and asked for a further check on the property. The surveyor measured the walls with his damp meter and suggested that the mould that had started to appear in various places in the bungalow were due to condensation. As I had replastered my bedroom wall his damp meter did not show this wall to have a damp problem, however he suggested the external wall in the lounge on the same side of my bedroom needed further investigation as the meter reading was higher and he asked his builder to come and look at rectifying the problem.

The builder said he thought the problem could be something to do with the proximity of my neighbour's block paved driveway to my damp proof course. We spoke to the neighour who was adamant that no remedial work would be allowed to be carried out on the outside of my property as it would ruin the look of the driveway, he also mentioned that the previous owners knew about the damp but it was never highlighted during the course of the sale of the property to myself. The builder suggested an alternative in that he could carry out the remedial work and put a membrane on the wall on the inside of my property instead.

The builder has not been back to do this work as yet but I am wondering whether to go ahead with it as I feel this may not rectify the problem.

Would I be better off asking for an independent damp survey first? I have asked for a check of my roof as it has been suggested to me that the felting on the roof may have deteriorated and water may be running through the cavity wall and could be the cause of the problem.

I would be extremely appreciative of any advise as I need to sort this out before winter sets in.

Doozergirl

This is mould and condensation, not damp!

Ventilation is one aspect, insulation will be another, to keep the walls warmer and prevent condensation.

Mould spots bear no relation to the damp proof course.

wallbash

he surveyor measured the walls with his damp meter and suggested that the mould that had started to appear in various places in the bungalow were due to condensation.

I would always look at the 'life style' before embarking on any expensive damp treatment.

How good is your ventilation ?
How do you dry your clothes?
Bath/ kitchen ........ extractor fans ??
Would rule out all these before even think of damp
Then it would be looking at gutters and down pipes

who was adamant that no remedial work would be allowed to be carried out on the outside of my property as it would ruin the look of the driveway,

Tell him to take a running jump. Do whats best for your property



MUST TYPE FASTER >>>>>>>>>> beaten to the answer!

minimii123

Doozergirl wrote: »

This is mould and condensation, not damp!

Ventilation is one aspect, insulation will be another, to keep the walls warmer and prevent condensation.

Mould spots bear no relation to the damp proof course.

The property has loft and cavity wall insulation, there are air bricks in the bedroom, kitchen and living room. Extractors in both the bathroom and kitchen. Why, therefore should only one side of the property be suffering from this?

minimii123

wallbash wrote: »

I would always look at the 'life style' before embarking on any expensive damp treatment.

How good is your ventilation ?
How do you dry your clothes?
Bath/ kitchen ........ extractor fans ??
Would rule out all these before even think of damp
Then it would be looking at gutters and down pipes


Tell him to take a running jump. Do whats best for your property



MUST TYPE FASTER >>>>>>>>>> beaten to the answer!

Thanks Wallbash, will take a look at gutters and downpipes next then.

wallbash

minimii123 wrote: »

The property has loft and cavity wall insulation, there are air bricks in the bedroom, kitchen and living room. Extractors in both the bathroom and kitchen. Why, therefore should only one side of the property be suffering from this?

The bedrooms ?
do you wake up to wet / running water on your bedroom windows?


ps surprised if you don't, I have warm air heating , masses of insulation , no physical damp penetration, but still get some dampness on my double glazing , its a fact of life, we still keep breathing when asleep .

minimii123

wallbash wrote: »

The bedrooms ?
do you wake up to wet / running water on your bedroom windows?


ps surprised if you don't, I have warm air heating , masses of insulation , no physical damp penetration, but still get some dampness on my double glazing , its a fact of life, we still keep breathing when asleep .

Yes there have been signs of damp on the windows, but I'm sure I also hear a slow drip coming from somewhere in the room, this is why I'm thinking it might possibly be something to do with my roof.

wallbash

minimii123 wrote: »

Yes there have been signs of damp on the windows, but I'm sure I also hear a slow drip coming from somewhere in the room, this is why I'm thinking it might possibly be something to do with my roof.

Only after rain OR all the time, have you checked your pipes

SilverSaloon

take a read of this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/287736

and have a look on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/stibnite11/videos

adamslinger

If you put a postcard up against your fan in your bathroom and kitchen and it cannot hold the postcard in place then the fan is not shifting the moisture.

minimii123

SilverSaloon wrote: »

take a read of this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/287736

and have a look on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/stibnite11/videos

Thank you for this information silver Saloon. I had a chartered surveyor (qualification quoted was - FRICS) who carried out my survey. not sure how the qualification measures up to those mentioned in the thread you highlighted. The surveyors builder suggested removing the plaster on the internal wall and putting in a membrane then replastering the section that was damp - having watched the youtube videos I'm wondering if this is such a good idea now.