Damp upper walls but now dry???

J89

Hi all,

My partner and I have just moved into an end of terrace house. Previously it had gone to rack and ruin and the person that bought it had spent quite of bit of money it seems renovating it.

To get to the point the upstairs bedrooms on the cable end wall showed signs of being day about 2 days ago (when we had a bit of rain) in the top right hand comer of one and the top left hand corner of the other.. basically just the interior wall separating the two areas of damp.

We also noticed a patch of damp in the living room around the middle of the wall. This is also on the gable end.

Two days later however and the walls have dried up with hardly any sign that they were damp. (It has been dry and warm)

My initial thought was that it was a roofing issue due to the top corner of the bedrooms but I now have doubts due to the living room. I think it’s more likely penetrating damp

From what I’m lead to believe the house had we derelict for around 2 years prior to our seller buying it.. and they didn’t live it in just did it up to sell on. So it had had 2 years without any habitation.

The original interior walls have been cladded over and new render put on the outside. I think there was an issue with damp before and they have tried to solve the problem. I have very little knowledge in this feild and am hoping for some advice

Is this just the damp drawing out it dry off or do we need to be corcerned? There is no smell of damp or soy or any mound throughout the property..

Any advice would be grateful

Thanks

FreeBear

J89 wrote: »

From what I’m lead to believe the house had we derelict for around 2 years prior to our seller buying it.. and they didn’t live it in just did it up to sell on. So it had had 2 years without any habitation.

The original interior walls have been cladded over and new render put on the outside. I think there was an issue with damp before and they have tried to solve the problem. I have very little knowledge in this feild and am hoping for some advice

First, and most important question - How old is this property ?

If it is say Victorian with solid brick walls, the materials used in this "renovation" may be entirely inappropriate. Solid walls should never be rendered with cement or x-rend, nor is it appropriate to use plasterboard & gypsum plaster internally.

With an eye to the immediate damp issues, I would certainly get the roof looked at along with guttering and downpipes - If these are OK, then you would need to look at other details to see where damp is penetrating (i.e. cracked render, lack of bell drips, etc).

J89

It was built in 1907? So I!!!8217;m assuming that means we are in trouble? Had a roofer in before just to check some felt and he said the roof as a whole was in good condition.

How would we go about rectifying the work done that may be adding to the issue?

FreeBear

J89 wrote: »

How would we go about rectifying the work done that may be adding to the issue?

Have a chat with the guys over on the Period Property forum - http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

I'd probably get shot down in flames by others here if I said what I really thought... A 1907 property will need careful appraisal by someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to old buildings. Once you know what materials have been used in the refurbishment, and have some recommendations to hand, you can decide on a suitable course of action.