Condensation on cupboard wall

[Voyager]

I have a cupboard in the main bedroom that has one side on an outside wall.
The inner outside wall within the cupboard is subject to bad condensation giving off a musty smell.
Can anyone give me advice on the best way to tackle the problem.

I appears to be creeping along the wall into the bedroom proper, although only slight at the moment.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation

 

[NickStone]

I'm guessing you have double glazing, Voyager. If so, do you have trickle vents? Do you keep them open or closed? You can remove the mould on your walls with bleach or mould killer but unless you also do something about ventilation, the problem will return.

 

[Voyager]

I'm guessing you have double glazing, Voyager. If so, do you have trickle vents? Do you keep them open or closed? You can remove the mould on your walls with bleach or mould killer but unless you also do something about ventilation, the problem will return.

Thanks NickStone. Yes we are double glazed, but no trickle vent. As the bedroom is "on a busy main road we are reluctant to leave the top window open (noise, dirt etc.). Would a vent through the wall or a dehumidifier work ?

 

[JohnD]

The problem is caused by two things:

- the room itself contains warm damp air

- the cupboard, being on an outside wall and insulated from the room by the cupbpard door, is cooler than the warm damp air which creeps in from the room

as always, warm damp air causes condensation when it meets a cooler surface.

If you can space the cupboard away from the wall; or reduce the humidity in the room generally, or reduce the humidity in the cupboard (e.g. by using a core drill to put a ventilator through the back wall into the cupboard) then you will reduce the humidity.

You could also achieve it by increasing the temperature inside the cupboard, e.g. by installing a small tubular electric heater, but this will add cost. a 150W heater might be enough and would run for about 7 hours for 10p. It will also help keeep your clothes aired.

You could also improve the insulation in the cupboard e.g. by fixing 1-inch polystryrene slab to the back wall which will reduce heat loss and so make it less cool.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses

p.s. you can use a drill to make your own trickle vents in window frames, but post a pic of the frame for advice on where to drill.

 

[Voyager]

Thanks JohnD

That has given me a few thinks to think about.
Thanks for the link as well.

 

[NickStone]

Yes we are double glazed, but no trickle vent. As the bedroom is "on a busy main road we are reluctant to leave the top window open (noise, dirt etc.). Would a vent through the wall or a dehumidifier work ?

JohnD's said it all, really, Voyager, but just to comment on the dehumidifier angle. These do remove water vapour, but they don't refresh air. You need ventilation, not just to get rid of damp air, but also to live healthily. Think of all that carbon dioxide that's hanging around, plus bacteria that also cann't escape because there's so little fresh air. Btw, understand the 'main road' problem - had that one myself until a couple of weeks ago.

 

[chicmiller]

i am having the same problem with a damp cupboard. the walls where wet and mouldy so i cleaned them and applied anti condensation paint then left a heater inside to thougherly dry the wall and also left the door open .a few days later and the walls where damp again . i`m starting to think the problem could be caused by water coming through the brickwork from the outside . i`m going to try waterproof coating on the exterior wall to see if that works ( costing about £80 ) .

 

[JohnD]

dry the wall again

tightly tape a piece of clear plastic to the wall.

If water forms on the room side, it is condensation.

If water appears on the wall side, the wall is damp