Front wall damp

[con1_uk]

Hello.

I live in a mid terraced brick and slate house and we are having problems with damp.

The front wall always seems damp and the front room always smells a little musty. We have had a new gutter and down pipe fitted recently and just the other week we had the 2 windows and a new front door fitted.

When the chaps took the old bedroom window out the metal lintel was damp to the touch but not dripping.

We have also seen beads of water on the gas meter cupboard.

We should be renovating this room fully in the next few weeks is what is the best course of action please?

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Most likely is condensation.

Remove the usual causes:

Wet washing lying about the house or draped over radiators
using a tumble-drier without venting it outside (this includes condenser driers which release quite a lot of steam)
Using baths and showers without running the extractor long enough to dry out the room during and after
Cooking and washing up without running extractor.
Damp towels
Wet outdoor coats hanging inside

and
improve ventilation - if you have replacement windows, open the trickle vents.
Open bedroom windows in morning
Open upstairs windows during the day unless it is very cold.
Verify you have plenty of air bricks to ventilate the under-floor void, and they are not blocked with dust, rubble or cobwebs.

If you want to experiment, tape a piece of clear polythene tightly to one of the damp walls, see if you get more water forming on the wall side or the room side of the polythene.

You can also look for any signs of water getting in, especially small roofs over bay windows, or leaking radiators, downpipes or other plumbing.

 

[big-all]

what a comprehensive post well done johnd

this would be a good post for the wiki or reference section
or is it copyrited

 

[JohnD]

Thanks!

You can reproduce it for a payment of 50p per copy

I have put it in the Building section of the Wiki, not sure if I've done it right - I can't see how to make a new "sub-post"
//wiki.diynot.com/building

 

[con1_uk]

Thanks for the advise I have already banned the missus from drying stuff around the house. The only thing I haven't got is a bathroom extractor but the bathroom is on the back of the house.

I noticed I have got 2 air bricks on the front of the house they look like doubles but the council has tarmac ed over the front pathway and covered the bricks up to half way. Can I complain about this?

The air bricks are under the inside floor level so I presume they are to circulate air around under the floorboards in the front room.

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

You also need airbricks at the back of the house so that there is airflow.

You may need to cut in some more airbricks. I doubt you will get anywhere with the council if your house abuts the pavement.

See where the floorboards are in relation to the outside pavement. You can get stepped ducts. It will take a bit of work with hammer and chisel but is not difficult. You may have a separate problem with bridged DPC, can you see a slate or bitumen line?

If you look under the floor, how deep is the void, is it earth or concrete below, and does it seem damp?

I bet your wife is still doing steamy things when you are out of the house

Have your windows got trickle vents and, are there any ventilators (e.g. airbricks) in the kitchen or bathroom that have been blocked up?

Are there fireplaces? Are they blocked top and/or bottom?

 

[masona]

Thanks!

You can reproduce it for a payment of 50p per copy

I have put it in the Building section of the Wiki, not sure if I've done it right - I can't see how to make a new "sub-post"
//wiki.diynot.com/building[/QUOTE]

John, nor do I, see here

 

[con1_uk]

You also need airbricks at the back of the house so that there is airflow.

The back room floor is solid (asphalt)

You may need to cut in some more airbricks. I doubt you will get anywhere with the council if your house abuts the pavement.

See where the floorboards are in relation to the outside pavement. You can get stepped ducts. It will take a bit of work with hammer and chisel but is not difficult. You may have a separate problem with bridged DPC, can you see a slate or bitumen line?

I will get my builder to fit some new ones Ta.


If you look under the floor, how deep is the void, is it earth or concrete below, and does it seem damp?

Under the floor boards there is enough room for me to craw about so its about 4 ft deep. The floor is earth and it is dampish but not wet.

Have your windows got trickle vents and, are there any ventilators (e.g. airbricks) in the kitchen or bathroom that have been blocked up?

The kitchen has a brick vent in and the windows all have trickle vents.


Are there fireplaces? Are they blocked top and/or bottom?

Yes we have 2 fireplaces (front and back room) both are working ones with gas fires.

Thanks for your help so far.

 

[con1_uk]

A few weeks ago I had someone come to see if I could have cavity wall insulation and they said the cavity was too thin. Is this causing me problems with the damp?

The company also said they have some fibre that is ok for small cavities does anyone know of this product?


Thanks.

 

[masona]

A few weeks ago I had someone come to see if I could have cavity wall insulation and they said the cavity was too thin. Is this causing me problems with the damp?

The norm is 50mm for a cavity, what size is your cavity, do you know?

Can you measure the total wall thickness from the door opening or wherever?

 

[con1_uk]

He said it was not big enough (smaller than 50mm) for the standard insulation.

The new stuff he mentioned took advantage of the smaller gaps in some houses.

 

[masona]

Okay, what is the total width of the wall?

 

[con1_uk]

Sorry for the delay

Hard to measure but its about 10 inch including interior plaster.

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Are you sure it has a cavity at all? can you post a pic showing the external brickwork pattern?

Did you see a cavity when they took the old windows out? How old is the house?

 

[con1_uk]

Yea it does have a cavity I saw when they removed the old windows. I have some pictures I will upload them.