Does Our 1950s Bungalow Need Windows Constantly Open?

Cardew

Whilst I agree that the long term solution is to discover the source of moisture ingress, the short term solution is IMO a dehumidifier(s).

As you have just moved in, had the property been empty for a period your occupation? It is surprising just how much moisture can be absorbed by the walls/floor/ceiling/contents in a short time.

It may be worth using dehumidifiers initially and measure how much water they are extracting each day. If the problem is as described in the above paragraph, then the amount of water will gradually decrease; albeit it might take weeks.

Richie-from-the-Boro

An average cheepo domestic unit @ £150 + running & maintenance costs for a 'may be' solution would be better spent 'overheating' for a month or a £150 contribution to getting what is really needed - an inspection report into what is causing damp. Great respect for Cardew's understanding of UK domestic heating - - just a different approach. I have a self declared dislike of sticking plaster dehumidifiers which don't actually cure anything, rather they divert resource from finding & curing cause.

gohan2091

The house was left emtpy I was told for about a month before we moved in. For the first month, we have left windows on latches during night and open during the day. Several of the rooms have air vents (suprisingly not the kitchen though but we don't have a cooker installed at the moment, only a grill and washing machine). The window in one of the small rooms use to have condensation on the glass but for the past two nights, we have closed the windows in that room and just left the trinkle vent open and had the heating on for a longer duration and the condensation on the window has gone. The moisure drip in this room on the wall though is puzzling and happened last week. During this time, my 11 year old brother slept in this room on a sofa for two nights, could the moisure drip be related to his sleep here? I don't think it would be because we had windows on the latch and the 9x9 vent was open all night.

I am not sure if spending £100+ on a decent dehumidifer would be a good idea right now, I am not usre. I know you can buy cheap crystal based debhumidifiers, so maybe buying a few of these just to see what happens would be a cheap next step? Maybe the problem we have is coming to an end. Would having the heating on in the evenings be beneficial to house moisture? or detrimental?

We could pay for an inspection but we are renting from a housing assoication so wouldn't this be the responsibility of the landlord?

nick_pike

Get someone from the housing association to have a look.

Cardew

If you are renting from a housing association it is their problem to sort out the damp ingress.

Re post#13 Richie is more knowledgeable than I, but as he says it is simply a matter of approach. I am influenced by buying a property(albeit abroad) where the amount of water removed by dehumidifiers was huge and it solved a similar issue.

Try and get the housing association to buy/hire/supply some dehumidifiers and see if that solves the issue. At this time of the year the heat produced by a humidifier helps to heat the flat.

System

I remember watching a tv programme about condensation on walls in places, I'm sure the server's says it's was the cavity wall insulation had dropped or there was gaps where it did meet, and that was why the couple were having condensation in places on the out side walls.

I never have had any problems with condensation, when I have a bath/shower the door is closed and the fan does its job (high rise no window) and I use tumble dryer to dry clothes I never dry clothes in the house. You should see how much waterms a condenser dryer makes, if you do dry clothes that water in the air won't help.

As for Windows I open them when I need to, kitchen windows open when cooking atime all times.

Hope you get sorted

Norman_Castle

gohan2091 wrote: »

The moisure drip in this room on the wall though is puzzling and happened last week. During this time, my 11 year old brother slept in this room on a sofa for two nights, could the moisure drip be related to his sleep here?

Yes, he was breathing out moist air.

Opening windows when cooking or showering will make a big difference.

Before carpets are fitted check for gaps between the floor and skirting. Filling them won't help the condensation but will make rooms warmer.

Remove the condensation from windows. If you leave it it will evaporate into the air when warm and condense back on the windows when cold. I use a shower squeegee and a very absorbent sponge.

Pincher

Just things to check:

Leaking radiator pipes under the floor board. Open vented system will refill the system, so you need to closed the roof tank, but a closed system boiler will drop in pressure.

Blocked vents under floor level around the perimeter of the building.

A surveyor can check for rising damp with a meter.

Farway

Did the 1950s bungalow have open fires & chimneys, now blocked off?

The chimney & fire provided all the ventilation, so if now closed up then condenstion is a result

Richie-from-the-Boro

1950's which was long before floor coverings let alone fitted carpets and was in many cases still lit by gas mantles. The rattling single glazed windows with ice in the inside in the winter and a million essential drafts dealt with the use on open carbon fires. Anyone with an open chimney is loosing close to 40% of their expensive heat, that's induction, that's how mines ventilate and keep the miners alive - crackerjack to have an open chimney in a modern dwelling.