Should I have air bricks in my cavity walls?

[Anunicorn]

Hi,

I've got a 1950s house with cavity walls and solid concrete floors, and am getting damp and mould building up in some areas in the corner of rooms, on window surrounds and skirting boards etc.

I can't find anything obvious with leaking gutters, any roof problems or leaks, pointing etc. however there aren't any air bricks anywhere in the outside skin of the cavity walls. The walls have been insulated with polystyrene beads quite a few years ago. The are also no trickle vents in the upvc double glazed windows that are about 10 years old.

Should all cavity walls have air bricks, if so what do they do?

I will probably also fit trickle vents on the windows.

Any other advice and ideas greatly appreciated!

Thanks very much,

 

[stuart45]

Hi,


Should all cavity walls have air bricks, if so what do they do?
Thanks very much,

They used to put them in some walls year ago to ventilate the cavity, but they were found to often cause cold spots on the inner skin.

 

[masona]

Might be lack of ventilation causing condensation problem

 

[^woody^]

You should not fit retrospective air bricks to a cavity wall where there are none there already.

You have an internal condensation problem. Read up on dealing with that