Damp Proof Course

[wcavanagh]

I am just in the process of buying a 3 bed Semi, and the Home Buyer Report detected damp.

I have had a company in to test and produce a report, they confirm the house does not have a DPC and recommend injection.

The two internal main walls do shoe damp marks on the paint, and you can smell the musk, the house is empty with no heating installed.

On the two internal walls the want to remove the plaster also.

They quoted over £3000 for this.

Are they taking the pi$$ ? lol

 

[tim00]

In short, yes, they are. research my previous replies to Damp queries and other perhaps more experienced replies.. Note that it's just one guy's opinion.

 

[wcavanagh]

In short, yes, they are. research my previous replies to Damp queries and other perhaps more experienced replies.. Note that it's just one guy's opinion.

Thanks, this is my 1st house, and this is all new to me

 

[flameport]

Three things to know:

1. Home Buyer Reports are the most superficial of surveys, and won't find anything you couldn't have seen with your own eyes.
2. Most damp problems are not caused by rising damp or a lack of DPC.
3. Most companies (probably all) which recommend injecting various things into the walls to solve damp problems are only interested in getting your money.

You have already identified the most likely cause of the problem:

the house is empty with no heating installed.

 

[wcavanagh]

Three things to know:

1. Home Buyer Reports are the most superficial of surveys, and won't find anything you couldn't have seen with your own eyes.
2. Most damp problems are not caused by rising damp or a lack of DPC.
3. Most companies (probably all) which recommend injecting various things into the walls to solve damp problems are only interested in getting your money.

You have already identified the most likely cause of the problem:

the house is empty with no heating installed.

Thank you, it was Rentakill I had round, because there was also a woodworm problem that needs treating. This is all a bit new for me, and I am working on a tight budget as it is, so not sure the best thing. I mean if the plaster needs to come off, I would rather have that done before I move in.

He pocked his meter thing in the wall and it lit up on some walls, and not on others.

So no heating can cause the staining and damp smell?

 

[flameport]

No heating won't help, but it's more the lack of ventilation (doors and windows closed for an extended period).

Damp marks on a wall could be various things, old condensation/mould being most likely, particularly if there was furniture standing in that position.
If on external walls, then blocked gutters/pipes are likely, and for internal ones look for leaks from upstairs or in the loft above. If the marks are near the base of the walls, remove a floorboard and look underneath.
Do also check outside that any airbricks or vents are clear, and there isn't a load of plants or whatever growing against the outside of the building.

Woodworm - how was that diagnosed? Did they actually find live woodworm in there, or was it just a load of old holes accompanied by a sharp intake of breath and a very expensive quote?
Either way, woodworm treatment can be purchased fairly cheaply and applied yourself.

 

[wcavanagh]

No heating won't help, but it's more the lack of ventilation (doors and windows closed for an extended period).

Damp marks on a wall could be various things, old condensation/mould being most likely, particularly if there was furniture standing in that position.
If on external walls, then blocked gutters/pipes are likely, and for internal ones look for leaks from upstairs or in the loft above. If the marks are near the base of the walls, remove a floorboard and look underneath.
Do also check outside that any airbricks or vents are clear, and there isn't a load of plants or whatever growing against the outside of the building.

Woodworm - how was that diagnosed? Did they actually find live woodworm in there, or was it just a load of old holes accompanied by a sharp intake of breath and a very expensive quote?
Either way, woodworm treatment can be purchased fairly cheaply and applied yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to help me. I feel out of my depth here.

Right the two internal walls either side of the stairs, have marks about 500mm up. His damp meter lit up like an Xmas tree on them, but did not on the external walls. I checked, the outside and there is about 6 layers of bricks, then the house is rendered all the way up. No sign of any damp proof in there no wider than the others mortar line. There are 2 air bricks at the front, and two at the rear all clear, and the outside ground is well below these.

No plumbing near the internal walls.

As for the woodworm, he checked all the floors upstairs, and showed me loads of holes, some parts of the floor boards looked like cheese, he did the same in the loft, he spent about an hour checking with a torch.

On the report they sent it says all 1st floor and loft need chemical treatment?

 

[wcavanagh]

Here is the drawing from the report on Damp.

Untitled

• wcavanagh
• 11 Jun 2011
• 1

 

[gregers]

im assuming from the diagram,that the internal walls are 4"

but what thickness are the remaining walls?

if there cavity why treat the outside when its the inside skin that will need to be treated/injected,but if cavity do you know if there silted up?

im surprised if woodworm has been found in the attic and 1st floor then as peace of mind WHY not do the ground floor aswell?

as allready said,no air movement/lack of ventilation

AND rentokil,mmmmmm if you have to have treatment carried out then find a local firm,do check them out ask about.and consider an insurance back warrenty just in case the go belly up.

 

[flameport]

Right the two internal walls either side of the stairs, have marks about 500mm up.

Not rising damp then - that starts at the bottom of the walls.
What is under the stairs - possible that a load of stuff in there is attracting dampness (or was - probably removed but the damp remains due to no ventilation)
Or it's just that the previous occupants had some furniture against those walls, and they attracted condensation due to them being colder than the other walls (very likely if the space under the stairs is not heated, or the floor under the stairs has holes into the void below)

His damp meter lit up like an Xmas tree on them, but did not on the external walls.?

So by their own dodgy testing, the external walls don't need any treatment.

Woodworm holes appear when the beetles causing the damage leave - so the presence of holes on it's own just means there was an infestation at some time in the past.
If there is powdery dust in/near the holes, the beetles have recently left, there may be other eggs/larvae left in the wood. Treatment would be advisable.
If no dust, the beetles probably left years ago.

The real issue with woodworm is the condition of the timber - what looks good on the surface can be totally destroyed inside, so some further investigation will be required. Damaged sections should be replaced.

For the damp problem (which from your description is actually very minor and insignificant), the easiest thing to do is put the heating on and leave the windows slightly open to get plenty of fresh air through the building. If the damp is still there after a few weeks, or gets worse, then look for other causes.

The beetles causing woodworm are also more likely to be found in damp conditions, so heating and ventilating the property will reduce the possibility of further infestation.

 

[wcavanagh]

Right the two internal walls either side of the stairs, have marks about 500mm up.

Not rising damp then - that starts at the bottom of the walls.
What is under the stairs - possible that a load of stuff in there is attracting dampness (or was - probably removed but the damp remains due to no ventilation)
Or it's just that the previous occupants had some furniture against those walls, and they attracted condensation due to them being colder than the other walls (very likely if the space under the stairs is not heated, or the floor under the stairs has holes into the void below)

His damp meter lit up like an Xmas tree on them, but did not on the external walls.?

So by their own dodgy testing, the external walls don't need any treatment.

Woodworm holes appear when the beetles causing the damage leave - so the presence of holes on it's own just means there was an infestation at some time in the past.
If there is powdery dust in/near the holes, the beetles have recently left, there may be other eggs/larvae left in the wood. Treatment would be advisable.
If no dust, the beetles probably left years ago.

The real issue with woodworm is the condition of the timber - what looks good on the surface can be totally destroyed inside, so some further investigation will be required. Damaged sections should be replaced.

For the damp problem (which from your description is actually very minor and insignificant), the easiest thing to do is put the heating on and leave the windows slightly open to get plenty of fresh air through the building. If the damp is still there after a few weeks, or gets worse, then look for other causes.

The beetles causing woodworm are also more likely to be found in damp conditions, so heating and ventilating the property will reduce the possibility of further infestation.

Thanks for the help guys. Sorry I was not clear the damp mark inside starts at the floor and rises up to about 500mm.

The house as no heating installed at all, as soon as we complete contracts, the 1st job was to get central heating installed, but if plaster had to come off walls I did not want to get the rads all installed, then have to take them off again.

The mark is like a light brown on the white paint work.

What is the best way to check this woodworm issue? I am not convinced now with what you guys have said compared to Rentakill?

Thanks again all, really helpful info, and I am going to look further into both the damp and worm.