Damp barrier on walls?

[damien1974]

Hi Guys

Just stripped my walls and treated them with a fungicide (spell check?) killer as I go black spots last winter.

Had some guys round from a well known damp proof company and they stated that it is not a rising damp problem BUT my radiator has no barrier between it and the wall?

My house is single brick 1937 build, do they mean I have to put up a foil type sheet and does it go on the radiator or the wall (before the paper?)

Thanks guys
Damien

 

[JohnD]

It won't hurt, you can get polystyrene foam with a foil coating that might be better. Haven't heard of it being relevant to damp, I wonder if they mean the rad heat was evaporating moisture into the house?

Assuming you do not cause damp by leaving wet washing about the house, work on improving your ventilation especially in bathroom and kitchen. A 1937 house would have been built with fireplaces and wooden windows that give plenty of draughts and you have probably reduced these.

A bathroom fan that always comes on automatically with the light makes the biggest difference.

 

[damien1974]

Hi John

Cheers for the tips, I know about the ventilation nightmare, last winter I invested in a dehumid and it pulled off no end of water from each and every room.

My plan of attack this year is to

1 - NO drying of washing on radiators (wife told me if thats the case then buy a dryer D'oh!)

2 - Leaving the bathroom (which is downstairs) window open a jar permanently

3 - Leave a small upstairs window a jar (to attempt to increase air flow)

My one query left is how to spot the difference between a damp spot (caused externally) or a moisture problem internally.

As stated, what we have is NO evidence outside of any damp (brick work is not discoloured in anyway) but black fungal type spots in the corner nearest the radiator.

Many Thanks for you help
Regards
D

 

[JohnD]

If you mean you have in the past been drying washing on radiators, then you might as well throw a bucket of water on the walls every day.

The automatic bathroom fan is more effective than a window as "people" will shut the window when they feel cold. Small burglars are also less likely to climb in.

During the summer (i.e. no heating is used) you can leave the loft hatch open to take warm moist air out. Don't do this when the heating is in use or you will be sucking all your money through the roof.

 

[damien1974]

Cheers John

Will look at light activated fans, (any model tips welcome).

No worries with the burglars as I work from home and seem never to go out, may change my name to Howard Hughes

Thanks again mate
Damien.

 

[JohnD]

Will look at light activated fans, (any model tips welcome).

Not light-activated, just connected to the ceiling rose so that when power goes to the lamp, it also goes to the fan . So any cheap fan will do (you can get timer fans at extra cost). There are regulations about wiring in bathrooms which I won't drone about here, but a suitably qualified electrician who is a member of an approved self-certification scheme could easily connect it. You will save money by cutting a hole in the bathroom wall yourself, but the position and cutting of it is a different matter - if you're interested, post separately. Basically high up, but not directly above a bath or shower, unless it runs off a 12v transformer outside the bathroom.

If you hire a core drill you can make the hole for the new tumbledrier hose on the same day as the bathroom fan. Easy job but a bit dusty.