Damp

[Tengu]

Alas, I suffer from it.

What do I do about it?

I presume I start with repointing the outside to keep damp out...but what then?

 

[Robbi]

it's gonna be expensive, have a look at this, might be helpful. ( no affiliation etc )

http://www.twistfix.co.uk/help-and-advice/faq/how-to-damp-proof-walls.html

 

[sandbender]

Alas, I suffer from it.

What do I do about it?

I presume I start with repointing the outside to keep damp out...but what then?

Is it coming from the wall outside or from the ground outside? Is it an old house, does it have a DPC?

MY place in Scotland didn't and my insurer and bank insisted on my injecting some mildly carcinogenic substance into all the walls a few inches above ground level and at six inch intervals. All told that cost me around £800. About twelve years ago. No damp since then though.

 

[rik_uk3]

Tengu, you said in another post you intended to rent you place out, asked about paint colours and now you mention damp. You need to get your place checked from top to bottom before you rent it, I did mine and it will stop heartache in the future.

 

[Toddy]

Do you mean damp as in coming in from outside or damp caused by condensation and poor ventilation ?
Modern homes are meant to be heated, and I know it's expensive, but if you don't do this, and you don't ventilate bathrooms, kitchens and any areas where you dry clothes indoors, really thoroughly, then you will get damp on the cold areas like corners, cupboards and ceilings. It's simple physics I'm afraid.

Again, best of luck with it,
atb,
M

 

[Tengu]

Im getting a builder friend check it.

Some is due to lack of heating but others is comming in from the outside.

Im checking the pointing; some is suspect.

 

[TeeDee]

Im getting a builder friend check it.

Some is due to lack of heating but others is comming in from the outside.

Im checking the pointing; some is suspect.

You may want to check to see if the original ground levels outside have been raised if the damp is from floor up inside. If the damp is coming through far higher up pointing MAY be the issue.

 

[ReamviThantos]

Another point of ingress could be the roof or you could possibly have an escape of water. Have you checked tanks and pipe work, where is the internal damage manifesting eg. ceiling/exterior/interior walls. I diagnose dampness as part of my job so may be in a position to help if you have photos.

 

[ged]

If you're going to be able to live close to the property while it's rented out that's one thing, but if you're planning to live elsewhere, and you won't be able to check regularly on it yourself, my advice is to think long and hard about it.

I rented property out in the nineties and noughties. I had about a decade of dealing with agents who lied routinely and didn't do their job -- but charged for it anyway -- and a decade of tenants who rarely took any care of the place they lived in. Some tenants deliberately did mindless damage and some even ran criminal enterprises resulting in bailiffs breaking in to recover goods obtained by fraud after the tenants had done a moonlight. My one lasting memory of a place in Plymouth is having to take a 3.5 tonne van down there to clear all the rubbish out of the back yard after the agent had told me that it had been left in a clean and tidy condition. The mess was indescribable.

It just wasn't worth all the aggro. I'd never do it again.

I'm sure there must be Websites dedicated to new landlords which will have a lot of useful advice.