Big (and ongoing) puzzle: Damp or leak?

[thomaspassmore]

Hi

I have a big problem that I am hoping someone can offer advice on. We have had lots of builders round and no-one can solve the issue.

We bought a house recently and when it rains water drips down the corner of the bedroom. The corner is the corner of the house, and above is the loft. We assumed that it was a leak in the roog and a roofer came and replaced all of the valleys.

Well it turns out that it is not a leak as we still get issues. In fact we have a very damp house and have always got condensation on the windows. We have discovered that we get a small amount of damp in this corner sometimes when it hasnt been raining; it is simply worst when it does rain.

I think that the issue may well be condensation. We live in a very old house with no ventilation, so I have various questions:

1) Do people agree that it might be condensation?
2) Would something like a drimaster or envirovent solve the issue?
3) Can you recommend someone to fit such a unit in London?
4) What worries me is that there is obviously a condensation problem in the attic as well as the house. What would sort this out?

Thanks a lot - any help is MASSIVELY appreciated

 

[WabbitPoo]

Its going to be hard for the experts here (of which I am not one) to diagnose but fingers crossed for you....

By the by, did you pay the roofer to "fix the problem" or did you engage them to "replace the gullies"? I ask because if it was the former, you should get them back to "fix the problem" again......

 

[tony1851]

IF it's condensation dripping down the walls, you either have nil ventilation, or are pumping lots of water vapour into the air, or both.

 

[Graeme1983]

How old is the house?

 

[thomaspassmore]

The house is about 150 years old

The roof is actually a bit of a saga. We paid a guy 1500 to repair 2 leaks. He did 3 valleys and it only repaired one leak under one
of the valleys. He tried a couple of other things and didn't succeed. So I got 3 other ppl to have a look and it turns out on one of the valleys he didn't replace it, but instead painted it lead colour. I threatened to take him to court and he refunded me for the 1 valley (and of course denied everything). I then got someone else more reputable who I hired to sort out the bodge job.

After this, the good roofer put what was a effectively to bit bag over the relevant corner. To see if it was leaking and we still got the same damp patches as before. That's why I think it's condensation

Thanks for the help

 

[jeds]

Certainly a condensation problem. A Drimaster may help but it depends on circumstances. If your house is really that bad I would say you need a full assessment by an independant surveyor. Condensation in the loft is bad - the standard solution is ventilation. Within the house the solution is normally a combination of controlled ventilation and insulation.

 

[JohnD]

when it rains water drips down the corner of the bedroom.

And there are people willing to say there isn't a leak?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[thomaspassmore]

I agree it would be good to get someone to come and have a look. The problem is getting someone who really knows what they are talking about. As I said, I have had builders who have suggested stuff that hasnt worked.

Can you recommend a decent person to come and have a look?

Thanks
Tom

 

[^woody^]

A roof leak will appear soon after rain, will get worse with duration (width and depth) and will stain a wide area in yellow/brown with a distinctive border

Condensation wont get worse, will be more or less present even without rain and will be confined to a small area, with it only dripping downwards. Staining will be minimal, but black mould spotting will be present

If you have such a specific localised condensation issue, then it will be due to a cold spot in the structure, and a positive pressure fan such as the drimaster may not deal with it

 

[thomaspassmore]

Woody
That sounds almost exactly what we have

Have you any idea how we sort this out?
I'm slightly at a loss as to what to do

Thanks
Tom

 

[Pigeon85]

As woody said it is cold spots that cause the problem you have, I have the same problem in two of my bedrooms, I have now started to make sure the doors are closed when running a bath etc also wipe any water that is around the windows will help a bit, you could go down the route of better wall insulation. Or relocating radiators or think about ventilation at least as a start

 

[^woody^]

Woody
That sounds almost exactly what we have

There were two options in my post

 

[thomaspassmore]

I meant the condensation description
Thanks

 

[joe-90]

It's about time you started paying someone instead of 'inviting them to take a look'.

 

[thomaspassmore]

Thanks for the useful comment. I have actually already shelled out nearly 2 grand in replacing all of the valleys. I have been paying the builders who have come to look
So now I am in the position where I am happy to pay, I just want to make sure I'm not paying more money that won't do anything.

I want someone who really knows what they're talking about to come and look. I will happily pay them to do the work.