help........mould/condensation

[Martynrbell]

First of all,
Merry Christmas everyone, i hope everyone has a great day.

Ok to my issue.

In my kitchen, which has been extended by about 2 meters in the past, the wall at the very bottom is conpletely mouldy behind my kitchen cupboards.

Its so bad that the two cupboards on that wall cannot be used as the mould spreads onto items and it stinks.

Also the back panel of the cupboard has warper so much that it has now popped out of the grooves

A bit of history, when i bought the house and redid the kitchen, this particular wall was covered in loft insulation which was soaking wet. And the wall up top was mouldy. Ive attached images of what it was like then.


Could someone please tell me how to fix this?
I think it is been caused by condensation, but it doesnt happend behind my other cupboards... why not?

The only thing i can think of is that the floor at that part is solid concrete and is freezing cold.

Could this be drawing all the heat from the walls causing them to then become cold?

Who would be best to come and take a look and fix?

Thanks in advance

 

[Murdochcat]

What is the other side of the wall and above?

Photos would help

 

[Martynrbell]

Hi there,
Now the madness is over ill upload aome pictures tomorrow morning.

 

[JohnD]

So much water suggests a leak.

Kitchens contain sinks, dishwashers etc.

Pull off the insulation and show us what pipes and drains are nearby.

Also windows or other possible sources.

If the bathroom is above it may be dripping down.

An extension may have a flat roof, and could be leaking.

 

[^woody^]

If you want a Christmas miracle

Type of wall, floor and roof?
Where is North relative to the walls?
Fan fitted? And type and usage.
Heating fitted?
General wide angle view internal and external all elevations.
Tumble dryer? Vented external?
How is washing dried?

 

[Martynrbell]

Hi all.
Ill
Try to up load some images and answer all questions.

Starting from the top.

This is on the end of an extention to a kitchen.

There are no pipes here and there is nothing above it.

Its a pitched roof, the ridge tile on that corner there did get blown off by all the bad weather last year but it was repaired swiftly.

The kitchen sink and windows are on the other wall and quite far away.

There is a tumble drier at the opposite end and it is one that doesnt need venting.

The walls dont look to be plastered below the kitchen tops, just brick

The house has a PIV unit fitted and there is also an extracter fan fitted at the top of the left hand wall.

I dont know what kind of wall it is other then its an external one?

Please note the images i posted were from years ago before the kitchen got refitted.
New ones to be posted.

So this is the offending section now


This is a close up from underneath the above cabinet


These are images from inside and below the corner unit




This image i highlight the mould
Blue is the mould
Red is concrete floor


And just for a longer view.
The whole kitchen




It was dark by the time i got home so ill do outside wall in the morning.

I really dont know where to start with this

Thanks again

 

[JohnD]

It looks to me like the damp is coming from below. The foot of the wall looks wet.

Is the concrete floor recent, with a DPM under it? Is the floor damp?

Are the base of all the walls wet, or just that one?

Where is your DPC?

Have you got a water meter?

What is the route of the water pipes, between the outside stopcock and the kitchen sink?

 

[Martynrbell]

The concrete floor i think was 're done' about 6 years ago.

Ive pulled the other kick boards off to see if i can get some more useful images.

i think in one of these you can see a dpm for the concrete and one in the wall?

Theres a few where i used a torch rather then flash too.





This last one is just trying to show the concrete state



The house does have a water meter, im pretty sure it's out on the pavement out the front of the house.

The stop cock i have inside is annoyingly behind the oven.
All the pipes work goes between the sink and the other end of the kitchen

I found an old image of it all ripped out before the concrete floor got redone.

Ive highlighted the stopcock in yellow
The sink in green and the concrete floor in blue

Also the original without the markup


The wall im having issues with is the far one in the image which looks to have fresh plaster on

Thanks

 

[Murdochcat]

What is outside?

Patio?

Path?

Flower bed?

Are these above the DPC ?

 

[Martynrbell]

Its a concrete driveway. On one side
And a patio on the other.

here are some night shots for you.
ill get some better ones in the light

 

[Wayners]

Mould like that is from cooking and drying washing inside house. Built in wardrobes don't have false backs because mould forms behind but kitchen units do have false backs, go figure?
Exstractor that vents out in kitchen for when your cooking?
Wall or trickle window vents?
Consider a dehumidifier.

 

[Murdochcat]

Do you have an extractor fan over your hob that vents outside?

 

[Martynrbell]

Yeah the extracter vents to outside.
There is also a fan running alway up high above the cupboards.

Its only behind them cupboards not behind the others, even the washer drier

 

[Koolpc]

Condensation would be my guess.

Cold walls, warm air = condensation.

 

[JohnD]

You can easily prove/disprove condensation.

Tape a piece of clear plastic or clingfilm tightly to the wall.

If water forms on the room side of the plastic, it is condensation.

If it forms on the wall side, the wall is wet.

Try some other areas of wall as well.

And the floor.