I live on the first floor of an Edwardian town house which consists of the main house plus a rear tenement. I had the place re-rendered recently and all rainwater goods replaced. I've now noticed I have a damp bedroom wall, which isn't an external wall - it's adjacent to my bathroom. However, the bathroom is in the tenement and the bedroom is part of the main house. The tenement is lower than the main house and I presume there's some kind of lead lined valley between the two (it's impossible to view from ground level and I'm no expert in these matters). There's evidence of surface mould in the corner of the bathroom ceiling and the ceiling seems to sag a little in this area. When probed with a Draper damp meter, a high reading occurs. The wall in the bedroom is papered with woodchip (although some of it I'd started ripping off some months back) and had become stained in places and peeled off really easily. There was quite a bit of surface mould under a picture that had been hanging there for years. The room now smells very musty. Would the problem be defective lead flashing between the house and tenement? If so, would that cause extensive dampness across the bedroom wall (the problem extends quite a way down)?
damp
- Thread starter yashar
- Start date
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the shower or bath doesn't happen to back onto this wall by any chance?
it could also be a roof problem.
is there an extractor fan fitted to the bathroom?
it could also be a roof problem.
is there an extractor fan fitted to the bathroom?
No bath or shower adjacent to the wall in question. There's no extractor fan in the bathroom, as it has its own window. However, I have to confess to having acquired the habit of closing the bathroom window in the morning (after a shower, before leaving for work). Would condensation really show up on the other side of the wall?
only if hygroscopic salts were present.
was there an old chimney breast located on this wall previously?
was there an old chimney breast located on this wall previously?
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No, no chimney breast, past or present. I've now removed some of the woodchip from the bathroom wall, which feels really quite damp to the touch. There are some salty deposits on the other side (the bedroom wall). Some parts of the plaster feel sticky - as if the paste used to apply the woodchip all those years ago has never dried out.
I'm a bit slack at ventilating the property this time of year and notice that the window in the bedroom becomes really steamed up when I'm boiling saucepans in the kitchen. I always used to leave the bathroom window open at all times, but started closing it in the mornings a little under a year ago, when the scaffolding was erected (purely for reasons of security).
I wonder if these bad habits have contributed to a build up of condensation internally, sufficient to create the problems I now have?
Alternatively, should I call in the builders?
I'm a bit slack at ventilating the property this time of year and notice that the window in the bedroom becomes really steamed up when I'm boiling saucepans in the kitchen. I always used to leave the bathroom window open at all times, but started closing it in the mornings a little under a year ago, when the scaffolding was erected (purely for reasons of security).
I wonder if these bad habits have contributed to a build up of condensation internally, sufficient to create the problems I now have?
Alternatively, should I call in the builders?
It might or might not be condensation-related, but if it is, some cheap fixes may save you a lot of money. Try permanent trickle ventilation, identify and deal with sources of moisture (it can also come up through the floor). Damp in or adjacent to bathrooms is often condensation. It sounds as if you need to get into the loft space or use binoculars to look at the roof from the street or a nearby building. Carry a clipboard and wear a hard hat or people will think you are a peeping tom.
If there are other neighbouring buildings similar to yours, you will get an idea from looking at their roofs.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses
A kitchen extractor will also help. put lids on your pans too.
If there are other neighbouring buildings similar to yours, you will get an idea from looking at their roofs.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses
A kitchen extractor will also help. put lids on your pans too.
Thanks for taking an interest guys.
I have a close view of the tenement roof from my bedroom window, which is roughly parallel with it. Everything looks fine in that area - no cracked or missing slates. Have also taken a look at the roofing felt in the tenement loft - no obvious signs of damage.
The roof on the main house, of which the bedroom forms part, is sound as far as I can see. If it were defective, I'd expect the damp to be above the picture rail as well, which it isn't. It begins at a point which is roughly level with the tenement ceiling.
Any further suggestions/diagnoses gratefully received....
I have a close view of the tenement roof from my bedroom window, which is roughly parallel with it. Everything looks fine in that area - no cracked or missing slates. Have also taken a look at the roofing felt in the tenement loft - no obvious signs of damage.
The roof on the main house, of which the bedroom forms part, is sound as far as I can see. If it were defective, I'd expect the damp to be above the picture rail as well, which it isn't. It begins at a point which is roughly level with the tenement ceiling.
Any further suggestions/diagnoses gratefully received....
post some pice of the damp and the roof layoputs so we can understand better.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=99672
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=99672
I'll try and get some pics posted tomorrow, but in the meantime I've had another (closer) look at the tenement roof and it appears that the lowest ridged slate covering the hip is cracked in two. This is directly above the source of the damp in the bathroom. Presumably this'll be where the water's coming from?
those images don't show a damp wall.....
they show a wet wall.
they show a wet wall.
it could be a possibility. can you get into the loft?
I could, but it's not the easiest space to access. I can at least poke my head up and shine a torch in that direction....
Presumably the trapping of condensation in the bathroom (the other side of that wall) wouldn't be to blame?
Presumably the trapping of condensation in the bathroom (the other side of that wall) wouldn't be to blame?
it looks like more than condensation.
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