Condensation in Apartment - advice required..

BBMcQ

Hi,

After moving into an apartment a month ago, we noticed alot of condensation on the bedroom wall (the backboard of our bed in against it). A man from the construction company says there is no ventilation in the wall and that once warm air from heating/us sleeping hits the wall, water will form. We now have black patches on the wall and to make it worse my gf as asthma. They need to gut the bedroom wall and fit a thermo board, whilst taking apart the built in bedroom wardrobes and replastering. He says it will take 3-4 days.

I was just wondering did anybody have any experience or was aware of any information out there for my situation. We've spent a hard month setting up tv, phone, broadband, heating etc and it takes 4-5 hours to move the bed somewhere else!

Obviously we cant stay in the apartment while the work is taking place, so what do we do? Look for somewhere else long term? Stay in a hotel closeby (should the landloard/construction company offer this?, or should we be offered a similar apartment in the same development?

Any advice much appreciated its my first time renting.

Thanks

tevion

some windows have a vent built into them that you can slide open.
Check to see if there is one, and open it, it should help, after you clean off the mold that is already there.

BBMcQ

Thanks,

The vents in all the windows are open since the first day we moved in. Any ideas about what to do now that the construction company (its only a 3 year old developement) have said its a structural problem?

Dempo1

Seems to be a major over site on behalf of the builders? i am assuming this is a reasonably new building?

The Builders advice seems to be a little over the top, if the bedroom has an external wall, i would have thought a simple vent could be put in, this would require drilling a hole (width of a standard waste pipe), and and internal grill that can be opened and closed and an external grill for ventilation.

I own a very old house and had similar problems, i installed the above last summer and it worked a treat. I am not a building expert but it would seem the builders advice is to install a thermal wall and cause major disruption, i would assume all walls are insulated anyway as per building regulations etc, the vent is the least intrusive remedy but it may be advisable to seek a surveyors opinion.

The black patches are mould and believe me it will get worse if you don vent the room asap, its also a nightmare to clean and can't be painted over.

Dempo1

stuartmchugh wrote: »

Thanks,

The vents in all the windows are open since the first day we moved in. Any ideas about what to do now that the construction company (its only a 3 year old developement) have said its a structural problem?

Yes, vents in windows can in some case work but if the room is large they don't suppy enough ventilation, a wall vent is required and i was under the impression it was a requirement on all external walls on all new builds?

BBMcQ

I'll definately mention the wall vent idea to them. The apartment is ground floor and receives no direct sunlight as there is an abandoned development about 10yards south of our windows. The builder said the wall with the problem is a concrete slab and takes much longer to heat up than an internal wall.

Dempo1

stuartmchugh wrote: »

I'll definately mention the wall vent idea to them. The apartment is ground floor and receives no direct sunlight as there is an abandoned development about 10yards south of our windows. The builder said the wall with the problem is a concrete slab and takes much longer to heat up than an internal wall.

The absence of any sunlight is also adding to the problem although direct sunlight on windows, particularly in the winter also increases condensation, this is where window vents work best. Seems also that your apartment, being on the ground level may have the foundation structure as external walls (if this makes sense as the builder states its a concrete slab as opposed to standard wall), this said, i still think the vent is possible but i am not an expert!

Graces7

Same problem here; only way is to keep the place well-aired and heated.

An older house with no vents etc.

It will be easier when the weather improves and windows can be opened more.

NB A dehumidifier will also help hugely; ours is a godsend. In all situations where moisture is this will help. Leave it on the bedroom during the day and see how much it will take in.