I've been trying to sort out problems with damp/condensation in my mum's lounge for months now and am beginning to tear my hair out! Done loads of searching online but haven't found any answers, thought I'd give this forum a try as there seems to be loads of useful advice given on here.
Very briefly, it is a 1930s bungalow (I think) with a cavity wall and the problem area is a corner of a projecting bay window. The cavity around the window had been filled at some point with insulation but this has now all been removed and some of it was very wet. The wooden upright panels forming the corner of the bay and part of the cill were rotten, these have now been replaced. The wall underneath the window was also damp and the plaster has been removed and replaced. The guttering has been checked, top half of the wall is rendered and bottom half is brick - apart from a few of the bricks being a bit weathered all seems to be OK. UPVC window seal was beginning to break down and this has also been replaced.
In this very cold weather noticed that the new wood was wet in the mornings (where the upright met the cill). Removed the new wooden upright panels and found that the wall inside the cavity was absolutely soaking wet. The moisture seems to have migrated across the cavity to an inner pillar (behind the wooden uprights) and this was also very wet, which is presumably why the wood rotted in the first place. The pillar has been removed temporarily (render was shot anyway) and the bricks are being left to dry. The cavity has been left open for a few days now (with the heating on) but shows no signs of drying out. The wall is very wet from top to bottom. Also noticed that wooden lintel was rotten in the far corner.
I am at a loss as to what to do about it. There is an air brick below the DPC in the front wall and this is clear. The cavity is also clear, some of the wall ties looking a bit rusty but apart from that can't see what's causing the problem. I'm wondering if there are several things going on - water ingress at the top which caused the lintel to rot? Condenstaion or water coming through wall further down? Think part of the problem is water running down the edge of the window (which is inside the cavity) and hitting the cill.
Someone has suggested putting an air vent at the bottom of the internal wall (but not linked to the outside), thinking warm air would go through and keep the cavity warm and stop the condensation (?) Having considered this, wondering if that would just make the problem worse. Surely the warm air would carry more moisture into the cavity? What about installing drill vents on the external wall?
Sorry about the long post but bit of a complicated problem. I have found a myriad of things in one small area - some of which I have put right but some are still defeating me. Post may be too long winded and complicated for anyone to help me but I hope not.
Very briefly, it is a 1930s bungalow (I think) with a cavity wall and the problem area is a corner of a projecting bay window. The cavity around the window had been filled at some point with insulation but this has now all been removed and some of it was very wet. The wooden upright panels forming the corner of the bay and part of the cill were rotten, these have now been replaced. The wall underneath the window was also damp and the plaster has been removed and replaced. The guttering has been checked, top half of the wall is rendered and bottom half is brick - apart from a few of the bricks being a bit weathered all seems to be OK. UPVC window seal was beginning to break down and this has also been replaced.
In this very cold weather noticed that the new wood was wet in the mornings (where the upright met the cill). Removed the new wooden upright panels and found that the wall inside the cavity was absolutely soaking wet. The moisture seems to have migrated across the cavity to an inner pillar (behind the wooden uprights) and this was also very wet, which is presumably why the wood rotted in the first place. The pillar has been removed temporarily (render was shot anyway) and the bricks are being left to dry. The cavity has been left open for a few days now (with the heating on) but shows no signs of drying out. The wall is very wet from top to bottom. Also noticed that wooden lintel was rotten in the far corner.
I am at a loss as to what to do about it. There is an air brick below the DPC in the front wall and this is clear. The cavity is also clear, some of the wall ties looking a bit rusty but apart from that can't see what's causing the problem. I'm wondering if there are several things going on - water ingress at the top which caused the lintel to rot? Condenstaion or water coming through wall further down? Think part of the problem is water running down the edge of the window (which is inside the cavity) and hitting the cill.
Someone has suggested putting an air vent at the bottom of the internal wall (but not linked to the outside), thinking warm air would go through and keep the cavity warm and stop the condensation (?) Having considered this, wondering if that would just make the problem worse. Surely the warm air would carry more moisture into the cavity? What about installing drill vents on the external wall?
Sorry about the long post but bit of a complicated problem. I have found a myriad of things in one small area - some of which I have put right but some are still defeating me. Post may be too long winded and complicated for anyone to help me but I hope not.
