Help with mould/ damp in the house

[Poly Hive]

Two things come to mind here. One is you say the dehumidifier fills up every night so why not put it on constant and tip it back so it drains into a drum as we do to dry our towels here over night.

2nd is where do you dry your laundry? If you have a drier venting in the house or loads of washing on air driers then there will for sure be loads of damp. The wife has had to spell this out to severl of her tenants.

PH

[ian]

We thought the Asbestos Palace was cursed with damp, but it mostly seems to have been a leaky dishwasher that had spent who knows how long distributing water along the bottom of the kitchen wall. There was general dampness behind appliances that was probably just moisture condensing on cold exterior walls. The bathroom didn't have an extractor fan and had similar problems.

Anyway, we bought a dehumidifier and ran that over winter to dry out the kitchen and that seems to have done the trick. We run that when we dry clothes in the house and keep a few windows on the latch even in winter (judging by the effort to open them and the general mouldiness of the windows, they'd not been opened for a while). In the refurbishment works we had decent extractor fans fitted in the kitchen and bathroom, and had the side alley path re-paved and some DPM paint along the render were water was along the side of the house and we had the pipework and spillway replaced to ensure that liquid didn't gather.

All seems to be good now, the hygrometers read between 35-60% – it's amazing how quickly it can rise when cooking etc. We occasionally have to wipe condensation from the upstairs window corners in winter, but that's about it and we dry all the washing indoors.

[velosam]

I am gong to get the free survey done.

In terms of drying clothes etc - its all done with a drier which does not need an outlet. forgotten what they are called.

The humidifier was on for most of last year and then I thought I had sorted the problem with a leaking roof gutter. However its now back to square one, so that wasn't the whole cause.

If I could find the cause in the kitchen cabinets that may solve my problems.

I also need to get those damp meters.

I agree with the ventilation, but the rest of the household is doubtful.

[mrcharly-YHT]

They are called a condensing drier and do generate an amount of damp air.

The key to dealing with damp is ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. Do you have good extractor fans in your bathroom and kitchen? Is the bathroom one humidity sensing?

All rooms should have air bricks or some other form of ventilation at least.

[Kim]

The key to dealing with damp is ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. Do you have good extractor fans in your bathroom and kitchen? Is the bathroom one humidity sensing?

...and is the natural flow of air from the bathroom into the rest of the house?

Having graphs of the temperature and humidity in each room has been quite revealing in that context.  It seems that the optimum solution in winter is to close our bathroom window when the humidity reaches 40%, and leave the bathroom door open.  This makes the bedroom colder, but the bathroom gets to dry out.

[Poly Hive]

You might want to think about relocating that drier outside. It is not helping your problem on wee bit and might in fact be the issue.

PH

[Mrs Pingu]

The problem with getting a "free" damp survey is they are done by people who want to sell you chemical DPC's etc, which might not actually help. Which is why I paid for one. I do think it'd be worth getting your drain checked out though if the worst of the damp is in that area.

[Canardly]

This ^^^^^^^

[velosam]

Agreed on the ventilation.

What are they going to check as it goes straight into concrete, literally?


The kitchen has an extractor fan but thinking about it, the top bathroom doesn't and the window is hardly ever opened, hmmmmmm

[geraldc]

The few that I've had done have been pretty impartial. If it's condensation they may suggest a positive pressure ventilation system, but no one ever needs to get one fitted.

[Mrs Pingu]

Agreed on the ventilation.

What are they going to check as it goes straight into concrete, literally?


The kitchen has an extractor fan but thinking about it, the top bathroom doesn't and the window is hardly ever opened, hmmmmmm

Camera survey of the drain perhaps?

[Wombat]

The problem with getting a "free" damp survey is they are done by people who want to sell you chemical DPC's etc, which might not actually help. Which is why I paid for one. I do think it'd be worth getting your drain checked out though if the worst of the damp is in that area.

Wot Mrs Pingu sed, in spades.  In my professional experience this frequently happens!  Getting a proper chartered building surveyor is a far better bet, albeit not free.

I'm assuming (as its a fair sized country, so the chances are slim) that you're not within easy reach of South Hampshire, are you, Velosam?

[Polar Bear]

I know of a chap in Nuneaton who is very honest.   We had him in to do a damp test and he said no, you need x, y and z which are all goods and services that his firm do not provide.   He's a lovely chap too.   We had them back to do some plastering after we'd done other works and they did a splendid job of that.

I don't know where you are but if you're relatively close to Nuneaton I can dig out his contact details for you.

[velosam]

Thanks PB but I am in London.

Will have a look around today. After the rain yesterday its much worse sigh

[Aunt Maud]

You already know you've got damp walls, so why do you need a damp meter to tell you same thing ?

A few helpful questions;

What's on the outside ?

How far away is the rainwater down pipe emptying its contents ?

Have you had your house re-pionted ?

Is there render ?

Is there a concrete path running along the damp wall ?  Yes.

Is the level of the soil outside higher than the level of the floor inside ?

N,E,S or W ?

I'm just trawling your posts to get the answers.....do correct me if I'm wrong.

[Poly Hive]

Further... do you get a reduction on your water rates for a soakaway, as if not you most likely do not have one. Also are there any trees or ivy which might have blocked the downpipe/s with roots?  If you have neighbours with similar properties and how is their rain water dealt with?

PH

[velosam]

You already know you've got damp walls, so why do you need a damp meter to tell you same thing ?

A few helpful questions;

What's on the outside ?  Nothing but space

How far away is the rainwater down pipe emptying its contents ? right into the side of the house

Have you had your house re-pionted ? no, but it is painted, dpc I think is black

Is there render ? I think so

Is there a concrete path running along the damp wall ?  Yes.

Is the level of the soil outside higher than the level of the floor inside ?  no

I'm just trawling your posts to get the answers.....do correct me if I'm wrong.

see above

[Aunt Maud]

How far away is the rainwater down pipe emptying its contents ? right into the side of the house

Bingo!

No drain ?

[velosam]

How far away is the rainwater down pipe emptying its contents ? right into the side of the house

Bingo!

No drain ?

Poor words on my part, its on the side of the house into a drain, which all seem clear.

Where I think its not clear I have extended the drain, past the driveway into the garden bed.

[Aunt Maud]

Where do you live in London ?

Can you post a photo of the outside of the damp wall, so that I can see the external drainage, the wall and a bit of the path ?

What's at the end of the drain that you've extended into the flower bed ? Did you dig a big hole and fill it with rubble, or does it just end in soil ?

I think you said your house was detached, is there only one rainwater down pipe with all the guttering emptying into it ?

Did you make double sure that the new rainwater drain was laid to a fall and is the down pipe joined properly to the new drain ?

Does it end by a rose ?

[velosam]

AM

will post some pics tomorrow

[Aunt Maud]

OK

You can email them if you want. I'll send my email address.

[Mrs Pingu]

If the paint outside is new and non breathable that won't be helping if you have a drain leak - it will only be able to escape inside.

Meanwhile, among other things I'm looking at having to hack off the gypsum plaster I just had skimmed in January so that my damp patch can try to dry out. Followed by cutting a hole under the damp patch to see if there's debris there I can excavate.

[Aunt Maud]

Don't you have solid masonry walls Mrs P. ?

[Mrs Pingu]

Don't you have solid masonry walls Mrs P. ?

I have granite walls with lath & plaster inside (I had no idea gypsum on top was a bad idea when I had it done, sadly).

For any other sad gits interested in seeing my debris bridging in the loft (behind gyproc panels rather than lath & plaster) you can see photos here https://flic.kr/s/aHskm763h3