Damp rooms

Ferny

I bought a house 2 years ago which is now 14 years old, we have noticed that one end of the house the rooms seem to be very damp, I used a dehumidifier and almost filled it. Anyone have any ideas?

RKQ

Its very hard to say without seeing the problem.

It could be condensation due to poor ventilation.
It could be rising damp - damaged damp-proof-course.
It could be damp caused by higher external ground level, ie ground or path above d.p.c level.
It could be a damaged gutter / barge/ soffit or fascia allowing rain water to seep down the wall and somehow cross the cavity.

It might be worth seeking professional advice.

10-10-20

What's not explained here is how long the dehumidifier was left running for...
If it was almost filled after days, yes, you probably have excess humidity, but if it was a week, then maybe not.

Keep running the unit, but give us more info on the makeup of the house.
See RKQ's ideas above.

alpina

Hi there, not intending to hijack OP thread but have a relevant question..
In relation to venting; can one bore a hole directly through fullstop, or is it better to have such 'hole' sealed,(wavin or similar placed into new hole) ie, incoming & outgoing air as a result of being sealed does not travel through the cavity block, for eg; if venting a damp room, such dampness does not go back into cavity. Is this the correct way to vent or does it not matter if unsealed & air is allowed to travel through cavity?

Cheers..

Slig

alpina wrote: »

Hi there, not intending to hijack OP thread but have a relevant question..
In relation to venting; can one bore a hole directly through fullstop, or is it better to have such 'hole' sealed,(wavin or similar placed into new hole) ie, incoming & outgoing air as a result of being sealed does not travel through the cavity block, for eg; if venting a damp room, such dampness does not go back into cavity. Is this the correct way to vent or does it not matter if unsealed & air is allowed to travel through cavity?

Cheers..

The cavity in a blockwork wall should be unventilated. if its timber frame then it should be ventilated. If there are windows in the room it might be a better option to get the window manufacturer back to fit some trickle vents instead.

Ferny

All rooms showing dampness are at one end of the house, there are no airvents in any of the rooms (being fitted in the next 2 weeks), we both work so are away most of the day so heat is off and the windows are shut.. the wardrobes are built into the walls and have just a bare concrete floor..

I got approx 4 litres out of 1 room in 1 day, approx 1-2 litres out of another room yesterday..

What sort of a specialist would you be talking about, if it is a serious problem then I would like someone who knows what they are talking about rather than a chancer......

All help, suggestions and comments most gladly appreciated

I'd wait untill the vents are fitted before doing anything else, they may resolve the issue.

Poor Uncle Tom

Ferny wrote: »

I got approx 4 litres out of 1 room in 1 day

Was that from your room and does it have an ensuite opening onto it?

muffler

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd wait untill the vents are fitted before doing anything else, they may resolve the issue.

Yeah, thats the way to go imo. Continue to use the dehumidifier and you should see a noticeable difference.

This thread may be helpful.

Ferny

yes 4 litres was from my room main bedroom, there is no ensuite but the bathroom/shower is next door and we don't have an extractor fan in it ( also getting fitted in the next 2 weeks)

Thanks to everyone for help so far...

RKQ

I'd agree with above... sounds like condensation.

The vents should work, also consider insulating the soild conc walls.
This will lessen condensation, as the walls won't be a cold surface.
Let us know how you get on.

Ferny

will do .. wish me luck