Jump to content

Damp proofing & removal advice/DPC/recommendations MEGATHREAD

Recommended Posts

Has the house got fitted carpets, double glazing, pvcu doors etc? Old houses were not designed to be draught-proof, so if there is no air circulation, the place will become damp.

We had just this in our 1960's bungalow.... and had an Envirovent system installed, which is basically a ventilation system that sucks air from the outside, dries it, and circulates inside.

It sorted our house, the mildew soon went, the musty smell is a thing of the past.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yes definitely sort the guttering out if you think it needs attention.

 

Do the windows in the rooms have trickle vents in them??

Older houses need good ventilation to prevent damp.

 

Older places can have solid walls which can cause issues, if the damp isn't centred around certain areas like top of the outside wall, by chimney breast, around window frames or by the floor it does suggest poor ventilation is causing the damp issues and not water leaking in from outside.

 

There are various full house ventilation systems should you need it, but many issues can be solved by sorting out simple stuff.

 

 

All of the above.

 

These old houses were never dry even when new, however, they were built with draughty windows and often more than one open fireplace. What little condensation there was in those days appeared on the windows and caused no harm if wiped away.

Fast forward to modern times and all the open fireplaces are no longer open, windows are double glazed and draught proofed, and the floors are either carpeted with underlay or laminated etc, hence no ventilation. The condensation goes to the coldest surface and that tends to be a wall if it is solid brick.

Ventilation is the answer, either natural or using a mechanical method.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thankyou. I have just had an awful experience where my tenants refused to pay rent stating the house was damp and got their family involved. I had to let them out of the contract as they said they would quite happily squat for months and pay no rent. I really do not want this to happen again. The living room does not have any vents. The room is quite compact with a closed fireplace. Shall I just leave the windows open in the front room ? Or use a dehumidifier. This was not a problem a few months ago but it is has happened recently.

 

---------- Post added 03-11-2017 at 17:01 ----------

 

The room has laminate floor down as well as the bedroom.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Windows open is maybe not the answer, as tenants will probably want draught-free..... you are not aware of air movement with an Envirovent system. I have nothing to gain btw, I am just a very satisfied customer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My next move would be to fit a ventilation system in the loft. This could be done easily for less than a months rent or thereabouts.

 

Could you open up the fireplace? they look terrific done properly and add draught free ventilation.

 

Also, make sure there is a good fan in the bathroom (wired to the light switch) and kitchen to rid the house of moist air. Houses of a certain age also had air bricks in kitchens, bathrooms, and occasionally bedrooms, these tend to get covered but were put there for good reason. Think about uncovering them if they are there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You've closed off all the buildings ventilation which has caused damp issues.

 

The building needs ventilation, constant ventilation.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Has the house got fitted carpets, double glazing, pvcu doors etc? Old houses were not designed to be draught-proof, so if there is no air circulation, the place will become damp.

We had just this in our 1960's bungalow.... and had an Envirovent system installed, which is basically a ventilation system that sucks air from the outside, dries it, and circulates inside.

It sorted our house, the mildew soon went, the musty smell is a thing of the past.

 

How much did the Envirovent system cost to install?

I'm thinking of getting one & can't seem to find any costs anywhere. I live in a standard Victorian terrace with high ceilings & two bedrooms. Plenty of loft space to install it in. I used to live here by myself & condensation was never a problem but now have another person living here so there's more washing dried inside & showers run etc & want to avoid having windows open all the time...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can't remember exactly, about 5 years ago .... try http://www.homeventilation.co.uk which is who we got ours done by, rep called James Scott who covers Sheff and Ches.... we have a bungalow, pump in loft, two outlets, no trouble at all, cost about £1500.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi nightrider - did you get someone to look at your damp? We have a similar issue and don't really know where to turn.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We got Shaun from Woods Building Services to look at our minor damp problems. We had three small patches of damp with three different sources, it turns out: damp at base of chimney stack that needed re-flaunching, condensation damp on a patch of old hgyroscopic plaster on the other chimney breast, and a little bit of penetrating damp on one wall where the outside tarmac path is slightly too high! It's a minefield, but there are logical steps that can be taken, and Shaun did a good job identifying and remediating for us.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
We got Shaun from Woods Building Services to look at our minor damp problems. We had three small patches of damp with three different sources, it turns out: damp at base of chimney stack that needed re-flaunching, condensation damp on a patch of old hgyroscopic plaster on the other chimney breast, and a little bit of penetrating damp on one wall where the outside tarmac path is slightly too high! It's a minefield, but there are logical steps that can be taken, and Shaun did a good job identifying and remediating for us.

 

That's what you get for using a good general builder - proper diagnosis and remedies

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What would you expect to pay for damp proofing? Can you just have the walls done which are showing damp or all of them? Any recommendations?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.