Should we get a building surveyor/inspector or yet another tradesperson?

moveover0

hi, we've lived in our detached house for 11 years, having been built in 2006 we are the 2nd owners. We have noticed over the years how we get damp patches around the walls where it meets the ceiling upstairs. we thought the guttering may need clearing so got that sorted but it persisted. we had a few tradespeople round who all said the guttering was the problem so we had that all redone.
Problem still occurred. Since then we have had air bricks installed in the lofts (i'll come on to that in a bit!), another loft access put in, the lagging in the lofts pulled away from the edges and the roof repointed.

We also have hairline exterior cracks that run top down - which we have put down to the build settling and as we are very close to a road (which is used by all and sundry as a short cut, including HGV's), vibrations.

The damp is still happening. we've had damp "experts" assess the house who always recommend the most expensive solutions, citing the "most Likely" cause that it's a long narrow house with 2 roof facing different directions that meet in the middle (one is a 90 degree angle to the other). We also discovered that the roofs are sealed from one another (hence our having another loft hatch put in the other end of the house). Having spent so much trying to get this sorted with zero improvement, we are wondering if we got a building inspector/surveyor into carry out a full check rather than another "expert" who are focussed on selling us their solution..

One other thing we should point out is that the roof are very low pitched - to the point where once in either of the lofts, to get to the edges you would have to lay down and wriggle to them!
We really would value some guidance from anyone here that's either experienced something similar or their thoughts re: our getting a building inspector in? 

Mistral001

Low pitch roofs usually have timber sarking below the felt and slates/tiles as there is a risk of rain water getting blown by the wind over the back of the tiles/slates.  Normally this rain water just runs down the sarking and felt under the slates/tiles and into the gutter if the felt extends far enougth to be over the back lip of the gutter.  Perhaps you need to check that the felt extends into the gutter.  With normal pitched roofs having the felt extending over the gutter is not so critical as the rain water rarely gets under the slates/tiles, but with low pitch roofs it is critical.

Section62

moveover0 said:

We have noticed over the years how we get damp patches around the walls where it meets the ceiling upstairs.

A common cause of 'damp' in this area is often condensation - the junction of a cold external wall and cold ceiling creates a cold spot which typically is the first place in the room for condensation to form.

Have you noticed any pattern to when the damp appears and goes away?  Or is it there all the time?

moveover0

Section62 said:

moveover0 said:

We have noticed over the years how we get damp patches around the walls where it meets the ceiling upstairs.

A common cause of 'damp' in this area is often condensation - the junction of a cold external wall and cold ceiling creates a cold spot which typically is the first place in the room for condensation to form.

Have you noticed any pattern to when the damp appears and goes away?  Or is it there all the time?

thanks for the reply, usually after a heavy downpour

moveover0

Mistral001 said:

Low pitch roofs usually have timber sarking below the felt and slates/tiles as there is a risk of rain water getting blown by the wind over the back of the tiles/slates.  Normally this rain water just runs down the sarking and felt under the slates/tiles and into the gutter if the felt extends far enougth to be over the back lip of the gutter.  Perhaps you need to check that the felt extends into the gutter.  With normal pitched roofs having the felt extending over the gutter is not so critical as the rain water rarely gets under the slates/tiles, but with low pitch roofs it is critical.

thanks for the reply, thanks for pointing this out. none of the tradesmen who have looked have ever mentioned this and it makes perfect sense.I will get someone in to check this (i can't do it, too unsteady on the ground, let alone up a ladder!)

Chloe_G

Our house has various damp issues and I was thinking of trying 'Damp Detectives' to do a survey of my house.  I don't know if anyone has used them?

stuhse

moveover0 said:

Section62 said:

moveover0 said:

We have noticed over the years how we get damp patches around the walls where it meets the ceiling upstairs.

A common cause of 'damp' in this area is often condensation - the junction of a cold external wall and cold ceiling creates a cold spot which typically is the first place in the room for condensation to form.

Have you noticed any pattern to when the damp appears and goes away?  Or is it there all the time?

thanks for the reply, usually after a heavy downpour

Youve solved your own problem. If this only occurs after heavy rain, you have a roof leak- you can forget about condensation etc..  You just need to identify where. It shouldnt be too difficult- the issue with the felt running to the gutters mentioned earlier would be my first port of call.   We had this issue on our house a few years back.  In our case the felt along the bottom had gone rotten, through water and debris gathering in the flat spot where it passes over the wall into the gutter.  We removed the bottom 3 or 4 rows of tiles and tile lats.  Put a new layer of membrane along sliding up under the felt layer above, replaced lat and tiles, it took a morning for two of us. Its now common to use a more resilient material than felt on the bottom layer...which is what we did.  As your house isnt so old i suspect you may not have the same issue, just that it is too short to reach the gutter.  Of course the other problem can be that the felt is too long and sits in the gutter and the water wicks up the felt, especially if the gutter doesnt run away too well due to poor fall/debris sat in it / blockages.