Suspended wooden Floor

[Loder]

Hello

I'm having trouble with condensation beneath the suspended wooden floor of my living room. Whilst decorating I found fungus growing behind my skirting boards, closer inspection revealed that beneath the floor boards was quite damp and a damp proofing company diagnosed cellar fungus. Luckily we had caught it in time before it turned to wet rot which would have been heavy on the wallet. Once the floor boards are removed about 2 feet below you is damp soil and I'm worried that we will continue to get condensation even though I've sorted out some of the ventillation problems. Has anyone got any ideas on a covering for the soil or any suggestions generally on suspended floor problems.

Many Thanks

Andrew

 

[breezer]

surley covering the soil will solve the problem, but not the cause, it may be that the new covering will get wet, and if it is say "plastic" the water will just sit there.

is there a free air flow from the front to the back of the house? (under the floor)

we have soil under our floor, and its well dried out (tough as bricks) looks more like dust than soil, but we do have a free flow of air

 

[oilman]

....diagnosed cellar fungus....

= sprayed bull***t

These things have a name, unless you don't know your job.

I agree with breezer, and we have soil under our floor too, about a foot below ground level and it's dry as a bone, have a look here . There are many people here who can offer very good advice.

You could well do with reading a little book called "Dampness in Buildings" published by Butterworths. ISBN 0-408-01463-6. I don't agree with everything in it, but it will give you a good understanding of damp, and it probably doesen't need anything more than good ventilation.

 

[Loder]

The damp proofing company have suggested ways of introducing more ventillation and I'm in the process off implementing them. The soil seems that damp though that I can't imagine it drying out completely, or perhaps I'm just being a pesermist. The diagnosis of cellar fungus was backed up with a latin name but I couldn't remember how to spell it, any way thats all been sprayed and the joist ends coverered with a deep penetrating gel so hopefully it wont come back.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[masona]

The damp proofing company have suggested ways of introducing more ventillation

Glad to hear a good advice from damp proofing company

Found this website ,interesting to read.

 

[oilman]

Oops! seems I shouldn't have been so quick to judge. It's good news to hear a damp company suggesting ventilation. I hope they don't blot their copy with unnecessary treatments.

Don't be pessimistic, the ground WILL dry out as long you don't have a water supply feeding it. Physics and vapour pressure will take care of it, though it may take months, just be patient. Think of all the soaking wet washing you put on the line to dry. I'm always amazed it dries, but it does.

Masona, thanks for that superb link, EVERYBODY should be made to read it, BY LAW

 

[YetAnotherAnon]

Neighbour's water supply leaked. Water was 6 inches deep under our semis when we moved in. had been for for years (so says other neighbour).
Pipe repaired in April, now have very dry house. Ventilation and patience only tools used.
PS Please tell your spell checker that Neighbor is not a correct spelling, let alone a replacement.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

PS Please tell your spell checker that Neighbor is not a correct spelling, let alone a replacement.

This is for all our American friends who spill ink on their neighbors' new white leather settee (or is that couch ??)