Damp seal treatment for conservatory interior walls?

facelikebambi

Hello,

During the winter, the brick walls of my conservatory get damp on the inside. Patches of damp appear on the floor near the walls too.

I had a damp proofing company take a look recently and they said it's probably a problem with the foundation (the conservatory was DIY built by the previous owner of the house). They said there's not much they can do without breaking up the floor, but maybe try a sealent solution on the interior brickwork.

I've been looking at things like PermaSeal and WaterTite paint, but they come in white or black. I was hoping for clear, as white/black paint will look rubbish (especially if damp still comes through) and would be difficult to remove.

I found Blackfriar Interior Seal Damp which is clear, but lots of reviews say how lastingly smelly it is.

Just wondered whether there are any other options and/or whether this approach is likely to work? I only plan to be here for another couple of years, so if I can avoid a new conservatory that would be ideal

Thanks!

FreeBear

Is it damp or condensation ?

These magical treatments will be totally ineffective if it is condensation.

ThisIsWeird

As said above^

I presume this is an unheated connie? In which case, it'll be one of the coldest rooms in the house, connected to one of the warmest. So, any chance it has, the warm moist air from your house will get out to the connie, and condense on the coldest surfaces that also have the least air flow - and that's the dwarf walls closest to the floor.

How to cure this? Either add a stupid amount of heat to raise the temp to the same or more as the adjacent room - don't be so daft - or else only use the connie when the sun is beating down on it during winter. And for the rest of the time, close it off from the rest of the house, and crack open at least two opposing windows in the connie, and let the wind howl through. That will keep it dry.

My mil still doesn't believe a cold, draughty connie = a dry one, even tho' she lived through the evidence. Sigh.

facelikebambi

Thanks for the really good advice - it's unheated so yes, could be condensation. The walls seem so dark and damp, and the flooring near them, that I'd assumed it must be more than that. But yes, it is right next to the kitchen and we tend to have the door between them open a bit. Will give this a go!

ThisIsWeird

It's definitely worth a go. And likely to be the cause.

The draughtier, the better :-)