Damp carpet in old house

[DampDunce]

Hello, this is my first post, so I hope it is okay to just get stuck in?

I have a turn of the century terraced house, mid-terrace and traditional 2 bed 2 reception, which no-one has lived in for about 6 months. The heating only comes on when the temperature drops and therefore hasn't been on for a while, and I go to the house fortnightly usually. Other than that, I occasionally run the water when doing some decorating but the house isn't disturbed too much.

I've noticed a large damp patch on the carpet, but the floorboards underneath seem dry - there is no underlay - the carpet was like that when I bought the house. The damp patch has only appeared in the past month or so.

The house has no damp proof course and there has been some damp in the cupboard under the stairs. It has 2 airbricks - at the front under the bay and under the window in the 2nd reception also, so I am wondering if these are blocked reading other posts, which I will check when I go back to the house. However, I never had damp in the 7 years I lived in the property in this area, so it seems strange. The central heating was installed 18 months ago and I don't think any pipes are around that area to cause a leak.

I am selling the house and money is tight, does anyone have any ideas what this could be, why it's happened now, and a cheap solution? I'd be really grateful - I was about to get the carpets changed as the final thing before selling the house, but daren't until I know what's caused the damp carpet.

Many thanks

 

[DampDunce]

Anyone? I take it everyone is as stumped as me then? I may have to get the insurance company out to have a look I think.

 

[Static]

Is there a cat flap in the back door? And a local cat that always smirks at you when you wander upto the house?

Other than that check the ceiling above the damp patch.. if thats not damaged or wet.. and the flooring under the carpet is dry.. well then you have a ghost..

 

[DampDunce]

No cat, and I don't know about the ghost, it could have moved in when I moved out Ceiling is fine, already checked that.... Mystery eh? Is it possible the floorboards dried out but the carpet remained damp when I got to it do you think?

Thanks for replying though

 

[Static]

Its possible, the carpet will act like a sponge and any moisture under may surface if its a low point in the floor.. but kinda unlikely..

Possibly if its in a corner or near an external wall, that its condensation running down the wall/windows and gathering on the carpet.. especially if the property is vacant and we get some hot then cold weather..
If you have some smaller windows that can be locked open, then open them and leave them like that to keep the property ventilated..

 

[DampDunce]

It's by the doorway to another room near the internal wall which joins next door so not external at all. Unfortunately the windows are large, don't lock and are on the main road, so that's not an option. But I did think that ventilation might help. It's odd, because the house is on a hill, and we'd previously had fine weather (well, as fine as it ever gets in Birmingham) so I can't understand why it would happen now unless something shifted when the central heating was installed or I'd got a leak somewhere - I will have to double check that I think.

It's a mystery, Lewis.

 

[DampDunce]

We think one of the workmen may have spilled some water,before the house got sealed up for a period and didn't dry out, as it's now dry and the flooring underneath is too. We've had the floorboards up and looked at what's under the floor and we think it's nigh on impossible it can be anything else, which is a big relief!