Do i have Damp?

[Solaron]

I could be wrong, but i think i have damp.

I have moved into my first owned home ad i have been redeveloping it for the past 5-6 weeks. It's a 2 bed ground floor & basement apartment. It's all been painted and over the past few days i've noticed the paint at the bottom of the stairs on an inside wall has started to 'bubble' and flake. it's incredibly powdery to the touch and can be rubbed off to show plaster.

i took the liberty of putting my chisel to it to see how far back the paint will go, and around certain points up to about 1m off the floor, the paint and some plaster comes right off to show bare brick. Don't get me wrong, this is only a very small amount and is based on the corner of a wall next to a door frame. I did not notice this when i moved in either.

I know this is vague, but is this Damp? When i stripped off some paint with the chisel, there seemed to be a few 'pits and holes' in the plaster as if something has eaten at it. it is in the basement so i would not be surprised.

I do not want to shell out over £100 for another survey if i'ts not damp, so any advice is appreciated.

Regards,

Chris

 

[Nige F]

Well, it`s not rising

 

[JohnD]

Sounds to me like damp, which is carrying dissolved mineral salts that are crystalising under the paint film and pushing it off.

You said an inside wall, so it's not an outside wall that has the earth on the other side of it? Is it an old brick built houes and wasn't there any reference to damp on the survey?

If you're reallly lucky (!) it might be caused by a plumbing leak, if for example there is a bathroom or a radiator on the other side of the wall.