condensation/damp pictures added

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

Hi Everyone,

I have an issue with our house. Its build in early 1900's solid brick house. The upstairs rooms have damp/condensation during the colder winter months. All along the face of the external walls. I've had the gutters checked and everything was clear. We always keep the heating on and dry clothes outside.

I've had another guy come and say the walls were too hold and need external insulation installed / internal insulation needed.

I wanted to get another opinion on here first before getting more work done.

Pictures below.

Screech20 · 23 Jan 2019

Do you keep the windows and doors shut during these problematic months?

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

i keep the windows open just alittle, to allow ventilation as my double glazing doesn't have those trickle vents.

wessex101 · 23 Jan 2019

That is pretty hardcore condensation. I suspect you have a problem with excessive water vapour in the house. You probably need good extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen, look at background/trickle vents, stop drying laundry indoors, keep the house warm and possibly get a dehumidfier.

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

only 4 of us in the 3 bedroom house. no bathroom/kitchen upstairs. They are both downstairs and have extractor fans.

Could it be as its a solid brick house the walls get really cold?

wessex101 · 23 Jan 2019

holy85 said:
only 4 of us in the 3 bedroom house. no bathroom/kitchen upstairs. They are both downstairs and have extractor fans.

Could it be as its a solid brick house the walls get really cold?

It doesn't matter where the bathroom and kitchen is. The warm moist air rises until it hits a cold surface. 4 people will also generate a lot of water vapour just by breathing. Ventilation to extract the moist air and keeping the house warm are the key issues.

Parts of my house are solid brick and do not get any condensation whatsoever. Condensation is almost always due to lifestyle and daily household routines.

JP_ · 23 Jan 2019

spray it all with black mould killer, strip the paper, remove the rads, Chuck out the curtains, the pole etc. too and replace all skirting etc., stick 50mm insulation board over it, plasterboard, skim and paint. Put rads back. New board on the ceiling too, and check there is loads of insulation in the loft space covering all the ceiling (with room for ventilation still in the eaves).

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

where we lived before didn't have this issue. it must be a building issue. Externally it's rendered and painted with a masonry paint. i think insulating the walls will help. Will it need a vapor barrier, then insulation?

JP_ · 23 Jan 2019

I use kingspan boards that have vapour barrier each side, board joiun sealed with silver tape, then plasterboard stick to that.

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

thanks, did you use dot and dab, wooden or steel battens on the solid walls?

^woody^ · 23 Jan 2019

Jesus. That has not just happened, and that is 90% lifestyle and 10% building.

You need to follow basic condensation minimisation advice - heating and ventilation , or whatever else you do, the mould will be straight back.

holy85 · 23 Jan 2019

^woody^ said:
Jesus. That has not just happened, and that is 90% lifestyle and 10% building.

You need to follow basic condensation minimisation advice - heating and ventilation , or whatever else you do, the mould will be straight back.

I keep the windows open slightly on days when it doesn't rain. The heating is always on, can't live without it. We dry clothes outside. The kitchen and bathroom both have extractors that extract out, which is far away downstairs from this problem.

Even with wall insulation it may still come back?

I Only get this problem in the winter months, when the weather begins getting cold.

^woody^ · 23 Jan 2019

You are doing something wrong. That's classic condensation, and extreme at that.

Basically you are producing the moisture that is then condensing on the walls and allowing mould to grow. You need to read the many condensation guides, and reassess what you are doing and how you are doing it.

Even if you insulate, if you don't stop creating the condensation and don't deal with it, then the moisture will still be in the house and will just settle on the next cold surface.

ivixor · 24 Jan 2019

Please don't tell me someone is sleeping in that room!

Balls green · 14 Mar 2019

I can’t see the pictures but have you checked there’s no cracks in the external render which is letting water getting into the bricks. Bricks might not be able to dry out and staying cold so air condensing at that certain point

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condensation/damp pictures added

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