Damp on the (ground floor) floor in the bay of my house

[PeteMillward]

I have an early C20th terraced house. It has single skinned walls that my local damp proofing agency injected a damp proof course into a few years ago.

When it rains, it seems as damp gets into the ground floor room in the bay areas and that it creeps along the carpet for around 60cm. I have taken the underlay up in the bay as it was holding the moisture (and smelling).

I'm pretty certain that the damp isn't coming up from under the floor boards (they are fairly dry) and the local damp proofer says it isn't rising damp. There are no signs of damp coming in off my windows and the plaster is dry, so I don't think it is leaky windows. The bottom of my curtains are a bit damp but I don't know where this water is coming from either (the curtains are 30cm above the floor). There doesn't seem to be anywhere that the damp could be penetrating from.

My partner's friend is an architect and he came out to inspect. He had no idea what it was. Undoubtedly my property sometimes suffers from a bit of condensation but this is too much for that.

The exterior of the house was painted over the summer, there is no cladding (or anything like that) and the brick work is in good condition with no obvious gaps.

Can anyone help? I'm just baffled and even unsure what type of tradesman to get out.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Have you checked that water is not running in under the window sill? and running/dripping down - wet curtains that don't touch the floor are a giveaway. Put a hose on the window (from the outside !!) and check inside.
Frank

 

[PeteMillward]

Thanks - that could be a good idea. It's certainly worth a try.

The reason why I haven't done that before is that the plaster and the skirting board just aren't even slightly (touch) damp.

Your suggestion is certainly worth trying - thanks.

 

[actiongirl5]

Hi,

I had the same kind of thing in my 1930s bay window-ed house. Ours turned out to be water run off from condensation. If the floorboards are sound and are not spongy or crumbling and the walls beneath the bay window is dry then you are only left cause. Single skinned bay windows are and will always be the pain of the century.

Strike a balance between heating and ventilation but what I found helped the most was buying a dehumidifier...........it is one device in my home above all the mod cons you could get I would not be without. We have a sleek Maeco one which does up to a three bed house, cost under £90 and is cheap to run. Other than that there is only one option and that is to install some newer A* rated upvc windows which contain a gas to prevent the build up of condensation but it depends if you want the cost and how long you plan on staying.

Mandy