PLEASE HELP!! 10 years recurring damp. Tried everything

[joeturbo]

Can anyone tell me if this really looks like 'Condensation' or 'Pentrating / Rising Damp' ??

I live in an L shape Bungalow, and although I think I have now tried everything to cure it, the front bedroom developes wet / damp walls year after year.

Although it has only started to show again since Oct / Nov its getting worse than ever (see my album)

It was originally plasterboard clad on all 4 walls, and I did ask my surveyor to question why this had been done. The reply was 'just to cover rough plaster'. I was soon to find that this was a load of xxxxxx

 

[^woody^]

The patten and location would suggest condensation - especially if it is no longer dry-lined, and also if that is a very exposed external corner

 

[joeturbo]

I have uploaded a lot of photos into the album on my profile, would you mind having a look

 

[joeturbo]

The double glazed window 'failed' and when it was taken out to replace there was 2" gap all round with no infil. The room had smelt damp but when the window was removed and where water had penetrated the plasterboard it smelt rank. Once we started to remove the plasterboard panels we realised that it had only been covering up / trapping the problem. We removed more and more, and found the whole room was covered in mould. we called in plasterers who gave us a fungisied wash to clean the walls with, then once it had fully dried out, they came and replatered the whole room including ceiling

 

[^woody^]

What heating and ventilation is in that room?

 

[joeturbo]

We have gas central heating on a timer. 1 modern radiator fitted beneath window about 6 years ago, only set on No. 2 as I dont like bedrooms too warm. We have the windows on 'vent' overnight / occassional days. We removed the internal door of this room some years ago to to allow more air circulation. I also run a Dehumidifier as often as possible through the colder months.

We have had 4 builders in over the years, they all have said 'condensation', and every year we have tried something else.

The outside walls have had 6 coats of weathershield paint over the 10 years (the 2 top coats had 'thermalite' paint addative in them). We have also painted 2 coats with 'thermalite' addative on the interior walls.

The following years the problem arrived again, and we lined the interior walls with 'Wallrock' Thermal liner. Its made the inner walls warmer to touch, but has obiously not cured the problem, as this year this has become saturated through, as the photos show.

Following year, same thing again..We dug up the old crazy paving, as we were told that it could be the cause, and laid 2 tons of shingle.

Following year, same thing again. Extended the guttering, as we noticed that it finished just inline with the front walls of the bungalow, and and our neighbours extends about 4" - 5" beyond that. There were also wet patches showing on the outside (bottom black brickwork in photos) many times after we had rain.

As I said, we have tried so many things over the years, and still the problem arrises.

 

[chippy5]

i looked at your pictures but i failed to see a damp course line in the brickwork??
condensation wont give you damp on the outside of the brickwork
i would advise getting a specialist out to look. not a general builder but a damp and water restoration company. i can recommend chem-dry as a good place to start. They have an office in Diss and cover most of East Anglia. they will find the solution.

 

[JohnD]

does anyone drape wet washing around the house, or over radiators?

edit
have looked at the photos now. How did the builders satisfy themselves that water is not gushing onto the wall from roof, gutters or downpipe?

have you looked in the loft?

 

[joeturbo]

The bungalow was built in 1956, a damp proof course has been seen (I will try to capture in pics) there are 5 clear 'air bricks' too

We did have a bad problem with condensation in the loft (roof lining and rafters would get so wet that it was literally 'dripping' all over.

The roof had been re-lined before we moved here ( neighbour reckons about 12 -15 years ago) the insulation was old and thin though, so we replaced it with new as thick as we could for the depth of the joists (about 6 inches) Then we have boarded it with 'tongued n grooved' chipboard panels, and then covered that with carpet.

Eve's are fully clear and there is good ventilation, so it is used for quite a bit of storage now.

I have purchased a new 'smart' dehumidifier, which can be left on 24 hours a day, and senses the humidity so switches itself on and off as required. It has been running fairly constantly for 9 days now (collecting about 4 - 5 litres a day)

I have also bought a humidity / temperature meter, and that has been registering between 60% - 70% RH and temperature between 55-65 F. The walls do look drier in places than they were, but I don't think this is gonna be a complete solution. Still not sleeping in there, so it may just keep it dry enough through the winter months, to not destroy the decorations and furnishings again, so that's something at least.

 

[JohnD]

And what about the wet washing?

Stand outside in heavy rain and look for water spilling out of the gutter, downpipe or roof edge.

Post more photos of the guttering.

 

[foxhole]

The render plinth round the base of the brickwork looks very high, does it breach the dpc?

 

[joeturbo]

No wet washing left hanging around.

I do washing once a week. Use high speed spin and use a condenser tumble dryer. have recently also run the old dehumidifier on constant for the day.

I did washing yesterday, and the RH meter went up by about 10% but had dropped again by late afternoon.

No condensation shows in kitchen or extention (where laundry area is)

I have an extractor in the bathroom, which this year has been switched on prior to having a showers (as we were told 'letting the steam build up befor venting it could be adding to the problem')

I also had an over cooker 'chimney' extractor fitted last year, so get no condensation on windows now when cooking, as I used to do.

 

[joeturbo]

It also rained quite heavy yesterday, so went and had a good look round outside. No leaks from gutters ect, and stragely no particular wet patches on outer walls as there has been befor. Inner walls have become a little wetter again in places though

(theres that question again. Condensation or penetration??)

Put Xmas decs in loft, so had a good look round up there too. Smells a little 'musky' but no wet patches. Checked the front of house roof support wall, no sign of any leaks or any wetness at all.

 

[joeturbo]

I have added 3 new Albums with photos. Please take a look when you can. All advice greatly appreciated.

When we had the builders out some years ago, I did query the cement skirt that runs around the outer walls, and asked about the damp proof course. They all said it was fine. I have looked around our area and most bungalows seem to have this?? My neighbours adjoining bungalow has it too, and they have had no problem at all with dampness (I have added photos of the adjoining bungalow)

 

[joeturbo]

i looked at your pictures but i failed to see a damp course line in the brickwork??
condensation wont give you damp on the outside of the brickwork
i would advise getting a specialist out to look. not a general builder but a damp and water restoration company. i can recommend chem-dry as a good place to start. They have an office in Diss and cover most of East Anglia. they will find the solution.

I can only find Chem-Dry Carpet & Upholtery cleaners ???