Wet bedroom walls- Condensation?

Arsenal2019

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Good internal photo - and access looks great!

The slates appear to be mortared, so should be impervious to rain - or if any rain does get blown in, it should be localised and very obvious where.

I'm with the second guy. Nothing of what the first guy said made sense - there was no evidence I could see of dropping/sagging/slipping.

Really, with such good access and such a steep pitch - which means you can get right in there - it should be very obvious whether there's enough ventilation getting through - there should be a gap all along that eaves edge, leading into a soffit/fascia void. Then all that would need doing would be to add vents to the soffit to allow more air through. Not sure how deep your soffits are, tho'.

Did the guy say HOW he'd add more ventilation? That's something that would be interesting to know.

Do the house's party walls extend up to the roof pitch - is each loft space separate? (I'd have thought so).

You don't have to rush to a fix; as the weather warms up, if it's due to condensation, it'll just stop. If it's due to rain penetration, it won't. Ie if there's a strong wind a dashing rain in mild weather - it'll still come through.

Yea. That’s what I would’ve thought. 

FUNNILY ENOUGH, I’ve spoke to the neighbours (as you look at the photo, to the left of my address), they are having the same issue!!!! Now I do not know what that means. 

But yeah they have their own loft space and from what they have said, it’s the same layout as mine.

in terms of adding more ventilation, he stated that he could add a roof vent into the roof? I’ve seen a few online.

he said that this will help the issue, but may not 100% fix it. Whereas a new roof would most likely solve it, but would come at a cost

Arsenal2019

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Arsenal2019 said:

...::::::.

It's not just through loft hatches that moisture gets up there, it can actually permeate right through your ceilings to the loft above - and then condense out.

Is your loft insulation to current standards? That might be another things to consider - stuffing it right down tight against the top of the ceiling, and then another layer on top at right angles.

The insulation is in two layers, quite thick. There is a layer of insulation, then it looks to be the timbers with more insulation on top:

The roofer says you could add Vents on the roof to help counteract the condensation?

I presume the roof looks to be in good condition from all of your professional opinions? In the darkness with no light up there, there is very very little light shining through; but that’s from the back of the house.

Arsenal2019

stuart45 said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

stuart45 said:

Don't think it's got any soffits, looks like flush eaves with the gutter brackets fixed to the wall, but it's hard to be sure from the photo. 

Cheers. Yes, it does look tight.

How would ventilation be added in that case? I wonder if, traditionally, the roof was just 'loose' slate, so naturally very well ventilated. And then at some point the slates were mortared together, causing the problem in very cold weather?

Something like this can be used.
6 Metre of Rolled Formed Eaves Panel Vent, Roof Rafter Ventilation on OnBuy
Slates were often mortared 'known as torching' to stop snow getting in. Before insulation was used condensation was less common, as the loft was warmer. You could get problems with ice dams without insulation though. Remember the icicles hanging from the eaves.

Just looked into this. So I’m right in thinking this connects to the exterior wall And to the bottom of the roof. This would shelter that top part of the wall from driving rain?

Arsenal2019

THANK YOU VERY MUCH GUYS FOR YOUR ONGOING HELP. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT

Jeepers_Creepers

It's a toughie, Aresnal - it's hard to know just what to do.

It would be ok to spend a 'certain' amount in the reasonable likelihood of it helping or effecting a cure, but not 'that' much unless a cure is guaranteed. How much £ertain and £uch amount to is the question!

Would adding roof vents help? I'd have thought so, but they'd likely need adding both front and back (or even on the ridge as well) to ensure a good flow-through; you want a clear flowing draught up there. Has he given you a quote for this, outlining EXACTLY what his proposal is, and the cost?

I emphasise I am not a roofer, but I think I would expect at least two vents, I think located near the lower parts of the roof, and on both sides of the house. It isn't a wide roof, so this would surely do? But, I don't know.

It's good that a neighb has the same problem - that isn't a surprise. (Mind you, the neighb on the left might have slightly bigger issues than you, as the roof does look a bit 'saggy' above where the hopper is...)

A thing to bear in mind is that this is almost certainly a 'time of year' issue, and it'll soon resolve itself as the weather becomes milder. It isn't a 'good' thing, obviously, but I don't think it's 'critical' either. By that I mean, as soon as it dries up, it should all be fine. It's only constant or long-term damp that causes rot and other issues. So, if there's, for example, any thought that you'd like to redo the whole roof in a few years time - ideally in conjunction with other neighbs - then I might personally be tempted to hold off until then.

I mean, if a 'probable' fix - but with no guarantee - were to cost over, say, £1k, that might give me pause. That's a wee roof, and if a few neighbs were to have theirs recovered at the same time, it could only be - I dunno - around £6k each? A fully-sorted, fully-ventilated, fully-felted roof, good for the next 50+ years. And a good selling point. (That's if the existing slates could be reused - 'cos they are well nice.)

If Stuart's idea of eaves vent strips can be fitted (does a row of slate need removing first, I dunno?), then that would, almost certainly, be a cracking solution - plenty ventilation across the full width. But I don't know how much work would be involved.

Basically, I dunno... :-(  

Arsenal2019

Jeepers_Creepers said:

It's a toughie, Aresnal - it's hard to know just what to do.

It would be ok to spend a 'certain' amount in the reasonable likelihood of it helping or effecting a cure, but not 'that' much unless a cure is guaranteed. How much £ertain and £uch amount to is the question!

Would adding roof vents help? I'd have thought so, but they'd likely need adding both front and back (or even on the ridge as well) to ensure a good flow-through; you want a clear flowing draught up there. Has he given you a quote for this, outlining EXACTLY what his proposal is, and the cost?

I emphasise I am not a roofer, but I think I would expect at least two vents, I think located near the lower parts of the roof, and on both sides of the house. It isn't a wide roof, so this would surely do? But, I don't know.

It's good that a neighb has the same problem - that isn't a surprise. (Mind you, the neighb on the left might have slightly bigger issues than you, as the roof does look a bit 'saggy' above where the hopper is...)

A thing to bear in mind is that this is almost certainly a 'time of year' issue, and it'll soon resolve itself as the weather becomes milder. It isn't a 'good' thing, obviously, but I don't think it's 'critical' either. By that I mean, as soon as it dries up, it should all be fine. It's only constant or long-term damp that causes rot and other issues. So, if there's, for example, any thought that you'd like to redo the whole roof in a few years time - ideally in conjunction with other neighbs - then I might personally be tempted to hold off until then.

I mean, if a 'probable' fix - but with no guarantee - were to cost over, say, £1k, that might give me pause. That's a wee roof, and if a few neighbs were to have theirs recovered at the same time, it could only be - I dunno - around £6k each? A fully-sorted, fully-ventilated, fully-felted roof, good for the next 50+ years. And a good selling point. (That's if the existing slates could be reused - 'cos they are well nice.)

If Stuart's idea of eaves vent strips can be fitted (does a row of slate need removing first, I dunno?), then that would, almost certainly, be a cracking solution - plenty ventilation across the full width. But I don't know how much work would be involved.

Basically, I dunno... :-(  

That’s what I thought. He’s yet to get back to me on that. Soon as I know I’ll relay on here.
Yeah you’re right about it been fine throughout summer; I just don’t like the idea of my walls getting soaked.

yeah it’s not a wide roof. Just a standard terraced house. The slates do look to be in good condition though . 

If I was to get a fully ventilated, vented and new roof, yes it would add value on but would it keep the value for when I come to sell in 5 or so years .?

coffeehound

Weather here is going from -3 to +11 ℃ within 24 hours so it sounds like a recipe for more condensation.  Be interesting to hear if it happens again.

Jeepers_Creepers

coffeehound said:

Weather here is going from -3 to +11 ℃ within 24 hours so it sounds like a recipe for more condensation.  Be interesting to hear if it happens again.

'More'? Surely less - a lot less? In fact, at 10oC, I'd say most problems will have gone.

Jeepers_Creepers

Arsenal2019 said:

That’s what I thought. He’s yet to get back to me on that. Soon as I know I’ll relay on here.
Yeah you’re right about it been fine throughout summer; I just don’t like the idea of my walls getting soaked.

yeah it’s not a wide roof. Just a standard terraced house. The slates do look to be in good condition though . 

If I was to get a fully ventilated, vented and new roof, yes it would add value on but would it keep the value for when I come to sell in 5 or so years .?

I just don't know enough about this - sorry. It would also depend on the cost of recovering the roof, and whether other neighbs were happy to become involved.

The annoying thing is, the roof looks perfectly ok. IF there's a way of fitting vents on both sides, I'd guess that would be fine.

One thing's sure - it's a toughie :-)  

coffeehound

Jeepers_Creepers said:

coffeehound said:

Weather here is going from -3 to +11 ℃ within 24 hours so it sounds like a recipe for more condensation.  Be interesting to hear if it happens again.

'More'? Surely less - a lot less? In fact, at 10oC, I'd say most problems will have gone.

I'm thinking cold timbers and slates with warmer wetter air coming in might attract condensation