Any doubters out there?

[noseall]

I have just copied this very forum page for future reference, purely out of some banal interest.

A majority of the posts on this page are related to damp in one way or another. Is it coincidence that the prevalence of damp related posts happens to coincide with one of the wettest spells the UK has ever seen?

Whilst I am a firm believer that DPC companies are a bunch of nest feathering con men, you can't ignore that water and rainfall does effect our nations' houses.

Is it just the older ones?

Poor design?

Lack of maintenance?

Bad building practices?

Wrong location i.e. flood plains etc?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is it coincidence that the prevalence of damp related posts happens to coincide with one of the wettest spells the UK has ever seen?

Or is it just the time of year? Condensation being worse....

It would be interesting to know if damp-related posts here increase in frequency every winter, not just the wet ones.

 

[stuart45]

If it's a poorly designed, badly built old house that's been built were I live and hasn't been maintained I'd say there's a fair chance it will have some damp problems.

 

[ree]

I suspect that mass, cheaply built housing eg. the industrial terraces, came into the world so quick because of the soaring demand that many of the ignorant practices established then became the accepted "designs", and simply carried over well into the 20th C.

Because, again, various peak demands came along (not least after two world wars and late 20th C. immigration) and "necessity" allowed such bad practice and design details to continue.

Mass production of architects also produced a mass of ignoramuses who seemed to take no account of "good for use" detailing, and how people actually used their houses.

Since WW2 many ordinary folk have had money to spend on their properties and the result has sadly been, instead of reasonable maintenance, kitsch and tat and actual harmful practices to the built environment fueled by the scum of the earth sales people. If you lie for a living then you are scum in my book.

My rant is slightly off page so i would guess that, as above, condensation is the sharp end culprit but condensation would not be so prevalent and harmful if it attempted to succeed in well designed and built properties.

Like doctors, first rule should be "do no harm" second rule"consequencies".
Think through what you are attempting - if you doubt me then remember your first wife?

Why now? Maybe the weather, as above, and house sales are moving again so perhaps notice is being taken with an eye for sale or buying.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If it's a poorly designed, badly built old house that's been built were I live and hasn't been maintained I'd say there's a fair chance it will have some damp problems.

You could have a well designed, well built new house in Somerset and have damp problems right now.

There's a reason why the name Somerset could well derive from the Saxon seo-mere-saetan meaning "settlers by the sea lakes", and why they named places like Muchelney (Great Island) and Thorney (Thorn Island) as they did.

 

[stuart45]

Luckily I don't live on the Levels, but wind driven rain is always a big problem here.

 

[ree]

noseall,

just looked at your profile photo, and i hope that you dont mind me saying:

Way to go man, way to go.
Nothing in life can possibly be more precious than the time a Daddy gives his kids, especially the boys.

Their love, affection and trust shines out.

 

[noseall]

noseall,

just looked at your profile photo, and i hope that you dont mind me saying:

Way to go man, way to go.
Nothing in life can possibly be more precious than the time a Daddy gives his kids, especially the boys.

Their love, affection and trust shines out.

Yeah, needs updating though, boys are bigger and cheekier now.

 

[noseall]

Or is it just the time of year? Condensation being worse....

It would be interesting to know if damp-related posts here increase in frequency every winter, not just the wet ones.

Previous (recent) winters have yielded some pretty severe frosts and low temp's so I would agree that condensation is definitely a seasonal problem.

However, so far this winter has been rather mild by comparison.

I would say that this Winter has seen unprecedented levels of wind driven rain and is revealing one or two shortcomings in building design.

 

[tony1851]

many of the ignorant practices established then became the accepted "designs", and simply carried over well into the 20th C.

What were the 'ignorant practices'?

 

[ree]

noseall,

It happens. But just wait for those grandkids.

They say, of course, that grandkids are God's reward for not killing your teenagers.

 

[ree]

tony 1851,

Here's a few to be going along with. I list (in no order) those with some with relevance to this website:

1. lack of adequate suspended floor ventilation
2. unprotected joist bearing tails, and built-in timbers
3. masonry or slab floors lacking any damp proofing
4. plinths incorporated into render
5. ground to render/plaster contact
6. cavity widths
7. recessed or strapped pointing
8. pointing mix too strong
9. GL to FFL and joist seat levels
10. building-in inaccessible areas
11. timber lintels - notoriously, Bressumer beams
12. using lead piping after copper and galvanised was available
13. snapped headers below gable pikes - the pike becomes unstable
14. building - in planters and abutments
15. inadequate sections to loft joists
16. building into sloping ground
17. building below a slope with no pre-emptive drainage
18. tiny kitchens and bathrooms
19. combined drainage

Hopefully, the above will help you. Do inquire if you want me to explain any item.

 

[tony1851]

Ree;

Your list is very wide-ranging, and for me at least raises a few further questions.

1. does this refer specifically to UK building practices, or does it have more wide-spread application?

2. the standards you criticise seem to refer to much early (ie late 18th- and early 19th-century) worker's housing in the industrial cities. Are you judging these buildings by the standards accepted in those days, or by modern standards?

3. does this list take into account how houses were used in the 'old days' and how the same houses might be used differently today?

Just wondering.

 

[stuart45]

Ree;
1. does this refer specifically to UK building practices, or does it have more wide-spread application?
.

Don't think it applies to California Tony

 

[tony1851]

I agree, particularly as regards point 18!

Most points seem to suggest leaning to brick construction in a damp climate (rather than timber), which just got me wondering.

Hopefully we will be enlightened.