Damp Kitchen

[steve_serco]

Recently moved into 1920's mid-terrace.

Galley kitchen cupboards smell v.v.musty... bought a condensation trap/absorber thing & it was full within a couple pf months. Paint also flaking off walls to the side of cupboards.

Suspect rising damp, therefore considering going for the electro osmotic option as it seemed to be least disruptive ?

Being a relative DIY virgin (& lazy) I'm looking for the least painful method... ie hoping to be able to jigsaw thru rear of cupboards & carry out key hole surgery

Any thoughts or experiences ?

Cheers, Steve.

 

[JohnD]

Yes - first easy questions - about humidity in the house - do you have an extractor fan? Do you ever leave wet washing about the house? Do you use a tumble-drier and, if so, is it vented? Do you use a gas cooker?

Is there a solid kitchen floor, and are there any signs of damp, especially where the water pipe comes up through it, or under the sink?

 

[Nige F]

Have you got a Brummy spanner in your toolkit Solid wall r/d injection is done from outside ........don`t know about electro orgasmotic tho`Have a look @ THE rising damp thread in the archives here

 

[jeds]

Have you not heard that there is no Such thing as rising damp? What you have there is a Severe case of Condensation Caused by an excess of Moisture in the atmosphere, lack of ventilation and insufficient Insulation.

 

[steve_serco]

Have a condensing tumble drier, but tend to air dry laundry in a spare upstairs bedroom. Also, no Ainsley Hariott... rely mostly on chicken ding & eating out... but do ocassionally spark up the gas cooker.

Kitchen floor is not solid - floorboards.

Damp appears to be coming thru kitchen cupboards on an interior wall - opposite kitchen sink. Have spoken to neighbour, but he doesn't seem to have any problems on his side ?

Leave one of the kitchen cupboard doors propped open... but still smells really damp. Also, kitchen is a galley one... door opens into dining room - again this is always left open... which is why I'm struggling to believe it's condensation ?

Had new boiler installed fairly recently & was advised by plumber that no water pipes ran behind wall or under floor past area of damp.

So I'm guessing it must be Rigsby's favourite

 

[JohnD]

So, i think your answers to my questions would be:

Yes - first easy questions - about humidity in the house -

do you have an extractor fan? NO
Do you ever leave wet washing about the house? YES
Do you use a tumble-drier YES
and, if so, is it vented? NO
Do you use a gas cooker? YES

Is there a solid kitchen floor, NO
and are there any signs of damp floor, ??
especially where the water pipe comes up through it ??
or under the sink ??

Just to check - you are getting damp inside wall cupboards on an inside wall?
These cupboards then are well off the floor?
Can you detect damp on the walls below these cupboards?
can you see a tide-mark and/or crystals on the surface of the wall?
Where are your kettle, and your cooker, and your wet washing room, and your bathroom, in relation to the damp patches? How far away is the nearest radiator or water pipe (especially if in the room above)?

BTW damp inside cupboards is often condensation.

Would you like me to sell you a washing line?