Damp

pff

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Angus
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I have a utility room at the back of the house with a washing machine & condenser dryer. We also hang clothes to dry on a hanger suspended from the ceiling.
Two sides are common with the house, one external wall and one wall is shared with a garage.
Recently the tumble dryer had a meltdown and flooded the room, the water mostly was trapped under linoleum floor, so we dont really know how long it was leaking before the floor started to squelch.
The garage side wall has some damp black patches on the plasterwork, inside the garage i would say the wall was dry, but the grey brickwork has large white patches up to a few feet from the ground is some places.

Long story short, is there any way to tell if the damp is related to the flooding or a more long term problem? if i just clean up the mouldy bits from the wall will it be ok? We are considering an extractor fan, but the one external wall is taken up by a window, and there is very little place to put one without compromising the lintel.
 
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99.9% that the damp is caused by a combination of:
a. the condensing tumble dryer.
b. drying clothes in there in a rack
c. no ventilation (as in no extractor)
The machine leaking just made an already bad situation worse.

Solutions:
Vent the tumble dryer outside (if you must have it at all)
Install an extractor fan, at least 60 l/s, and use it. If there really isn't any wall space, and you can't get it via the ceiling void, then fit one in the window.
If the floor/walls are still wet, hire a dehumidifier. A proper one, not one of those domestic efforts.
 
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Long story short, is there any way to tell if the damp is related to the flooding or a more long term problem?

White patches are typically salts being drawn out of the wall, and not condensation settling on the wall surface

If the white patches have appeared after the flood, then the flood is the probable cause.

Also, when plaster gets wet (and some mortars and bricks), salts bought to the surface are hygroscopic - ie they absorb more moisture from the air and can stay damp and stay white.

Then this moisture promotes condensation mould growth - the black mould

You need to remove any salt stained plaster, seal the wall and then replaster.
 
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