Can anyone give me any advice please? I have a back to back property that has had damp issues. It has a damproof course. About 3 years ago we had the chimney condemned, we were using it for a gas fire. We had the chimney capped and decided to have an electric fire instead as it's only used very rarely. I have noticed an increase in the damp. We installed trickle vents in the windows to improve the air circulation. The chimney breast is inbetween the houses on an internal wall. I have been to the property today and removed at least 3 layers of plaster of varying depths. The base coats were very damp and the exposed brick also feels damp. I have had my roofer check the stack and he said the cap and the pointing are ok. Can anyone tell me if this will be contributing to the damp throughout the property (2 up 2 down) and if so could anyone please tell me whst could be causing it!! Many thanks, Joanne.
chimney damp problems
- Thread starter tonyjo
- Start date
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1. Is the house occupied? Is the house next door occupied?
2. Who "condemned" the "chimney" ?
3. Why was it condemned?
4. What other heating is present in the house? eg. c/h or gas fires.
5. Could you be precise in saying exactly where damp conditions have shown?
Did you remove plaster from the c/breast?
6. When was the flue in question ( or any other flue ) last swept or smoke tested?
7. When the stack was capped, were vents or air terminals installed?
8. Research on here, this subject has many posts in the last few weeks.
2. Who "condemned" the "chimney" ?
3. Why was it condemned?
4. What other heating is present in the house? eg. c/h or gas fires.
5. Could you be precise in saying exactly where damp conditions have shown?
Did you remove plaster from the c/breast?
6. When was the flue in question ( or any other flue ) last swept or smoke tested?
7. When the stack was capped, were vents or air terminals installed?
8. Research on here, this subject has many posts in the last few weeks.
Hi Dann, thanks for your reply, The house was occupied by tennant until 2 weeks ago when they set fire to the cellar growing cannabis down there! The neighbours are not home that often. I cannot remember who condemned the chimney, think it must have been during a safety check. Think it was sometbing to do with the smoke test tho! There is only gas central heating in the property. The damp has shown mainly upstairs, in cupboards at the side of the chimney breast and on the ceiling where it meets the walls. I have looked and there are no vents either upstairs or downstairs. I have taken the plaster off in the living room and the LAYERS of plaster felt very moist.
Interesting. Crop growing will, of course, use enormous amounts of heat/power if grown in quantity. How did they vent the cellar? Does the c/breast run down to the cellar?
Air bricks will provide make up air against condensation. Are there rads in all the rooms?
Remove the built-in cupboard doors - perhaps they can be later restored.
Only a suggestion, but if you want us to help you then it's a good idea to answer any questions in detail.
You now have a void property, so a void gas check is due. Why not locate a RGI gas person who is also gas fire qualified and they can give you a heads-up on site to the c/breast and flues etc.
Could you provide any pics? Inside and outside the house incl. the c/stack?
Air bricks will provide make up air against condensation. Are there rads in all the rooms?
Remove the built-in cupboard doors - perhaps they can be later restored.
Only a suggestion, but if you want us to help you then it's a good idea to answer any questions in detail.
You now have a void property, so a void gas check is due. Why not locate a RGI gas person who is also gas fire qualified and they can give you a heads-up on site to the c/breast and flues etc.
Could you provide any pics? Inside and outside the house incl. the c/stack?
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These are the only photos I have at present. I don't know how or IF they vented the cellar. There are radiators in all the rooms with the exception of the kitchen. And yes the chimney does run into the cellar. At the moment it's pretty hard to see anything in the cellar as I am waiting for the electrics been safety checked, therefore I'm in the dark, literally!! Thanks again, Joanne
Once the electricity checks are complete, you might be advised to run a dehumidifier on each level, you can get these at a local hire shop. One bit of warning here, these hired units are very powerful and can draw significant amounts of moisture within a closed environment, therefore open all the doors and checked it daily. Unless you set up some form of drainage, the machines are designed to empty there moisture into a bucket, which must be emptied. Run overnight you might be surprised how quickly they can fill a bucket, be warned.
The point of this is to remove any dampness imported during it's last nefarious usage, a starting point for establishing what may or may not need improving...pinenot
The point of this is to remove any dampness imported during it's last nefarious usage, a starting point for establishing what may or may not need improving...pinenot
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