Dampness in flat. How do you deal with it?

mattyprice4004

mattyprice4004

mattyprice4004

Soldato
Joined
24 Apr 2007
Posts
7,563
Location
Southport
Well it's the time of year that any damp problems seem to get worse - and ours is here with a vengeance.

Damp carpet behind the sofa, the start of some black mould growth on the walls and a cold, dampy feeling to cushions etc.

I've looked for possible sources (block of flats, ground floor) and have come up with nothing - all of the other neighbours seem to have this issue too. The only thing I can see is the first 3 rows of bricks outside appear darker - meaning they're damp.

How are buildings normally insulated from damp, and is there anything DIY for cheap I do to help prevent damp? We open windows when drying clothes etc.

We've been fighting it for a while (repainting walls, cleaning mould off) and it's got to the point where I've gone out to buy a big dehumidifier to try and get rid of the moisture in the air, at least.

Does anyone else have this problem, how bad is it and how do you deal with it?
 
this sounds like condensation not damp

caused by temperature difference outside and in

are you getting it in on cold outside walls?
 
Last edited:
The 3 rows of bricks will be below DPC (damp proof course) there is a waterproof layer in the mortar usually plastic now but used to be bitumen felt or hessian in bitumen or slate, the bricks below this are damp and that is not a problem as long as stops and also as long as the internal skin has a DPC which is more difficult to tell as it's all covered up.

Your issue is water vapour condensating on cold areas.

You should increase ventilation, are there any vents in the windows or round the frames? do you dry washing in the flat? do you have mechanical ventilation in your bathroom? do you shower / bath with the door open? do you have an extractor over the hob? does it vent out or recirculate?
 
Cold areas collect moisture. I have a dehumidifier in the bedroom and a humidity monitor in the lounge and bedroom, it ideally needs to be below 60% to keep the flat feeling ok and to keep the mold spores dormant. Remember humidity on surfaces may be higher than a monitor reads for the room.

Don't dry washing in the flat, if you do open the window or ensure the humidifier is on in the room and doors closed. Lids on pans when cooking and close the kitchen door and door closed when bathing or showering. Also ensure the place gets a good airing once a week.

Humans put out a lot of moisture but there's a lot you can do to keep the levels down. Took me a year to find the right balance in this place, humidity monitors really help. It's all about containing and removing moisture from the air when you do activities such as showering or cooking.
 
images
 
I'm not long in a semi basement flat and suffered this problem a while back with mould and meldrew getting hold of everything. I first tried to pump heat into the place and ended up with condensation running down the walls to the point of washing paint off in some spots.
Eventually found the only way of dealing with it is to just really air the place as much as you can when not there. I make the effort to open up as much as i can in the way of windows at least for an hour once a week when i'm not there and as simple as it sounds it really works.
With regards to dehumidifiers i've never found they work in the past. Sure they take moisture out of the air but if your build is just wicking it back up into the brick work you're fighting a losing battle.
 
Airing the flat for an hour or two per day will never clear it. It may stop it from returning once its gone too keep on top of it but you need to really air it.

Front door open back door open and windows open.

I'm renovating a house and it was really damp slate dpc rubble filled cavities and a leaking roof. Within a week it was bone dry.

We opened the loft hatch. Front and rear doors open all day and two windows upstairs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom