Problem with Condensation on bedroom wall

[briandiggle]

Moved into a new house in July and about 3 weeks ago noticed the wallpaper was wet and mold on our bedroom wall underneath the window. At first thought it may be damp coming through from outside, so stripped the wall paper off, treated the mold, and painted on a damp proof paint to stop it coming through, with every intention of treating outside as well.

However, every morning the wall is wet again, so now i'm thinking condensation forming on the cold wall, as it's fine again in the evening.

Is there something i can put on the wall under the wall paper to insulate it?

All ideas welcome...

cheers

 

[JohnD]

You have not got enough ventilation to take away the moisture you are creating.

Choose one or more from the following:

- breathe less
- open the windows
- use an extractor during and after every shower or bath, and during and after cooking
- stop leaving wet washing about the house or draped over radiators
- repair plumbing and roof leaks

 

[masona]

Is there something i can put on the wall under the wall paper to insulate it?

You can by using foam insulating wallpaper but will create more problem for the moisture to go somewhere else!

 

[briandiggle]

Choose one or more from the following:

- breathe less
- open the windows
- use an extractor during and after every shower or bath, and during and after cooking
- stop leaving wet washing about the house or draped over radiators
- repair plumbing and roof leaks

can i use the breathe less as a defense for choking the misses?

the problem is just on this one wall in the bedroom; i'll try leaving the door open of a night, i really don't fancy leaving the window open, its a bit nippy out there at the mo.

i'll give the foam insulated wall paper a go as well, any ideas where to get this from? The likes of B&Q?

 

[Frederick]

JohnD is correct, however I would add that keeping a reasonable level of background heat will help as well.

Most people have the heating set so that it comes on twice a day. During this period the warm air is able to hold more water. However when the heating switches off - when you go to bed at night and go to work in the morning - the air can't hold the moisture and it comes out as condensation. One way of avoiding this is setting the heating so that it turns down to a lower level rather than switching off completely. I have been told that this doesn't cost as much as you would think to do this as the heating doesn't have to do as much work when it goes back up to full heat again - however I wouldn't take it as gospel.

A good source of info on condesnation is the PGA website - see http://www.specifypga.com/index/articles/articles_section_list/1/Condensation Myths and Facts/

 

[oilman]

............. i really don't fancy leaving the window open, its a bit nippy out there at the mo. .............

Don't be a wimp, it's not that cold. You are not doing the one thing that will provide the best cure for the problem. I bet you have double glazing. With single glazing the water would condense on the glass, now it is on the wall, growing mould, and the mould is a SERIOUS health hazard. OPEN THE WINDOW or ................

 

[jeds]

There are products on the market (look up sempatap) but as JohnD says this is not really a long term solution.

Do you have trickle vents in your windows? If not fitting a couple is often a fairly cheap way to help reduce water vapour.

 

[oilman]

Trickle vents weren't needed before some bright spark told us we needed draught sealing, doh!