[Liam_G]

Hi there just wondering if there was anybody who could help me out with my damp problem in my house! Below there is pictures from ceilings in all 3 upstairs bedrooms
As you will see there is alot of black mold/damp, Any ideas why we are getting this? We have checked the roof and everything and there is no rain water getting in, My dad has always said its because the house is sweating, Could this be true and how can it be resolved?? Thanks in advanced, Here are the pictures :
My bedroom ceiling in the corner :

The other Corner :

Mum n Dad's room :

[shodan]

You desperately need to get some venitlation in your house ASAP! Open vents in the chimney breast and walls etc and if you can have a small window open when you are home then it would help. If you can have a window downstairs open it would be more beneficial than an upstairs window. Do that and clean off the mould with sugar soap and anti mold kitchen cleaner stuff. If after a week or so of that it improves drastically then you know for sure it is an air circulation problem.
When we moved into our place it was similar to yours, although admittedly not to that degree but installing a vent into the chimney breast solved the problem.

[tartan_guru]

Definately looks like mould caused by condensation and the damp weather this summer probably hasn't helped the situation. I'm guessing that your house is victorian or similar vintage. In older houses where the rest of the loft has been insulated, there is often a section which is directly under the roof tiles which can't be accessed to fill with insulation (this is the more steeply angled part of the ceiling in your pictures). As it is is right below the roof tiles it will be much colder than the rest of the ceiling, and as such any excess moisture in the air will condense on that part allowing the mould to grow.

As it is often impossible to insulate this area without removing half the roof or there is insufficient space between ceiling and roof to fit it, the best way to deal with the problem is to improve your ventilation as shodan suggests. Best way to get an airflow is to utilise the "stack effect" - open one window slightly downstairs on one side of the house, and open another upstairs (suggest the window in the problem room) on the other side. This will get a flow of air going right through the house. Putting vents in your chimneys will really help qwith background ventilation when you don't want to open windows.

The other method of dealing with the issue is to reduce the humidity. Try to avoid drying clothes in the house, and put lids on saucepans when cooking. Make sure you have a decent extractor fan fitted in the kitchen and bathroom. If all else fails then a de-humidifier should do the job

Lots of hassle, but worth it in the end - don't want to scare you but mould can cause all sorts of health issues.

[Liam_G]

It's been like that for a fair few years now! My dad seemed to think it was after the house got pebbledashed but i dont think this is the case now! We are going to clean off all the mould this week and see if it comes back again after opening windows and vents etc

Cheers for the help guys!

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

Most damp proofing companies will give a free survey and estimate on what is causing the problem and how much it will cost to get fixed. Even if you then decide to go the diy route you will have an experts opinion on what the problem is.

[Jamo218]

As a qualified damp and timber surveyor, I would ask that you do not get in an expert if you do not have any intention of spending on the problem.

Getting a free survey may be bad advice, since you inevitably get what you pay for and those offering free surveys often look for work which may not be there.

The pattern of mould suggests that the joists are insulating the plasterboard from above, and that the area inbetween the joists, (which is likely uninsulated) is suffering severe condensation.

Condesnsation is controlled via heating/ventilation/dehumidification. Personally I would dehumidify the hell out of that place to dry it out, then introduce ventilation, insulation (i.e. internally if not viable over) and make sure the space is well heated.

As was suggested, lifestyle may be a contributing factor i.e. drying clothes in these rooms while not opening the windows. If you want to dry clothes in room, buy a dehumidifier and use that to keep the space dry.

[tartan_guru]

EDIT:- Just noticed that Jamo218 got in before me and he is much more more qualified than me!!!

I'd be carefull going to damp proofing companies as whilst they obviously do have alot of knowledge, they sometimes have a vested interest in selling you treatments.

At a minimum go to a company that is a member of The British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association, even better go to a inspector not associated with a treatment company(however you would need to pay for this).

[Liam_G]

Originally Posted by Jamo218

As a qualified damp and timber surveyor, I would ask that you do not get in an expert if you do not have any intention of spending on the problem.

Getting a free survey may be bad advice, since you inevitably get what you pay for and those offering free surveys often look for work which may not be there.

The pattern of mould suggests that the joists are insulating the plasterboard from above, and that the area inbetween the joists, (which is likely uninsulated) is suffering severe condensation.

Condesnsation is controlled via heating/ventilation/dehumidification. Personally I would dehumidify the hell out of that place to dry it out, then introduce ventilation, insulation (i.e. internally if not viable over) and make sure the space is well heated.

As was suggested, lifestyle may be a contributing factor i.e. drying clothes in these rooms while not opening the windows. If you want to dry clothes in room, buy a dehumidifier and use that to keep the space dry.

So if i keep the dehumidifier on for long periods of the day the problem should go away?

[dazza1011]

Originally Posted by Jamo218

As a qualified damp and timber surveyor, I would ask that you do not get in an expert if you do not have any intention of spending on the problem.

Getting a free survey may be bad advice, since you inevitably get what you pay for and those offering free surveys often look for work which may not be there.

The pattern of mould suggests that the joists are insulating the plasterboard from above, and that the area inbetween the joists, (which is likely uninsulated) is suffering severe condensation.

Condesnsation is controlled via heating/ventilation/dehumidification. Personally I would dehumidify the hell out of that place to dry it out, then introduce ventilation, insulation (i.e. internally if not viable over) and make sure the space is well heated.

As was suggested, lifestyle may be a contributing factor i.e. drying clothes in these rooms while not opening the windows. If you want to dry clothes in room, buy a dehumidifier and use that to keep the space dry.

what he said

i would also check the air vent in the first picture just to make sure its not been filled.

one of the biggest problems i get when surveying council properties is that they moan about damp ( their prognosis not mine ) and i go in to find them drying soaking wet clothes on the radiators with heating on full blast and they also fill the air bricks with foam / filler to " stop draughts " if you feel confident get in the loft or on some ladders outside the house and just give it a shufty to see if their are any gaps filled with insulation etc

[Liam_G]

I dont think we have air bricks in my house, We do dry clothes indoors sometimes though but they arnt soaking wet just damp

What would i need to look out for in the loft??

I noticed when i came home this morning from work went to my bedroom the windows had condensation all over them and the black mold on the ceiling was alot darker so ive opened the window theres a dehumudifier on near enough 24/7 aswell in the other bedroom

Would re-rendering a house have anything to do with causing damp by the way?

[Jamo218]

With regard to the rendering:

Vapour introduced into a space via occupation (washing, cooking, breathing etc.) makes for an environment which typically holds a greater amount of moisture than outside, so when you ventilate a space i.e. open a window, the difference in vapour pressure attempts to equalise and moisture is lost to the outside.

Rendering may reduce the extent to which vapour is able to move to the exterior so this could be a contributing factor.

I am guessing that drying clothes in the area is the issue, and that a lack of insulation/heating/ventilation is allowing excessive of moisture to cause these problems.

I would get your dehumidifier and put it in that room with the door closed, leave it on maximum until it fills up. When it is full and stops running, empty it and put it back on maximum. Do this until the rate at which it fills up slows down. If it is a traditional compressor type dehumidifier you will need to make sure the space is heated for the unit to work efficiently. If it is a dessicant unit that blows out warm air you'll be ok.

You should be able to feel the difference when entering the room after you have done this. If you are going to dry clothes in that room again, you will need to use enough heat and dehumidification to remove the vapour from the air.

Don't leave the windows open while running the dehumidifier as you'll end up pulling in moisture from the air outside.

Hope this helps.

[craigoscott]

Originally Posted by Liam_G

So if i keep the dehumidifier on for long periods of the day the problem should go away?

it will dry it out, and the problem may temporarily fix itself, but it may return if you dont address the ventilation problem :D

[Liam_G]

Well clothes get dried in the living room downstairs but we have damp on the ceilings upstairs, especially my room (pics i posted) so i keep the dehumidifier on in my room when i can!
would the fact me and my little brother shared the same room and hardly ever opened the window make a difference due to the heat from us both?? (I work nights and sleep all day and he sleeps when im not usually!!)
Also aswell my room is right next to the bathroom where there is alot of steam when someone has a shower/bath but we open a window for that now!

My dad used to have a theory that since the outside of the house got re-rendered that these damp problems have occured

[dazza1011]

[QUOTE=Liam_G;7610288]

QUOTE]

this is an air vent and they usually have an air brick on the outside check that this isnt blocked ( possibly by the render )some people block them up to stop draughts.


with regards to drying clothes it doesnt have to be sopping wet ( i was just going on what i had seen in some of our council houses ) just drying clothes on a Rad causes condensation.

have you done loft conversion ?

check that the loft insulation hasn't been pushed right to the edge of the eaves and blocked the openings. If so, clear the vents and check if the area dries up. Make sure the roof space above a bedroom has at least 100mm (4in) of insulation.

also are your windows single or double glazed if they are single this is probably one of the causes of condensation on your windows as the warm air inside makes contact with the glass which is cold and forms condensation.

a de-humidifier is OK in the short term but they cost a lot to run ( electricity wise ) are annyoing and have to be constantly emptied

bottom line ventilation

[Mark Grant]

Definately needs some ventilation.

Fungus and mould like that can cause respiratory illness.

Breathing in spores is not very healthy.

http://www.natlallergy.com/article.a...cd2=1222185320

http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/h...ld-mildew.html


Have a look at Heat Recovery Ventilation as a long term solution.
some links with information:

http://www.thermsaver.co.uk/heat_rec..._it_works.html

http://www.villavent.co.uk/heat-reco...entilators.htm

http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/...scussionID=521

screwfix sell some vent axia products for a keen DIY install.

Costs a lot but will completely change the atmosphere inside a house, as fresh as outdoors.

( I supply and install this kind of stuff as well as Daikin Air Conditioning - nothing to do with my cables website linked below )

Mark.

[Liam_G]

[quote=dazza1011;7779357][quote=Liam_G;7610288]

have you done loft conversion ?

check that the loft insulation hasn't been pushed right to the edge of the eaves and blocked the openings. If so, clear the vents and check if the area dries up. Make sure the roof space above a bedroom has at least 100mm (4in) of insulation.

also are your windows single or double glazed if they are single this is probably one of the causes of condensation on your windows as the warm air inside makes contact with the glass which is cold and forms condensation.

a de-humidifier is OK in the short term but they cost a lot to run ( electricity wise ) are annyoing and have to be constantly emptied

We have double glazed windows throughout the house except the kitchen!

We have not done a loft conversion, Ive never been up in the loft so i wouldnt know about the insulation up there, i should get my dad to check it out unless he already has!

As for the vents ye they are open and clear, When the house was rendered they did go over the vents but my dad drilled holes to allow them to still work!

Today i cleaned my bedroom ceilings so its now a case of will the mold come back even with the de-humidifier constantly on! my brothers room has also been painted and we will see if it re-appears there!

How expensive is this Heat Recovery Ventilation ?

[Jamo218]

You know internet message board discussions are one thing but you're obviously getting varied opinions and are probably wondering what exact advice to follow.

Given the extent of the problem and the obvious need to resolve, you should perhaps consider getting professional advice. I'm C.S.R.T. qualified but... I'm not touting for business on a message board and I wouldn't just contact any CSRT surveyor anyway.

The guy that trained me and a great deal of the industry is Graham Coleman, he's an independent surveyor and you can check his website out at
http://www.buildingpreservation.com/

Get costs for his advice and ask him to specify a complete solution. If you want to talk to me directly let me know and i'll PM you my work number.

[Liam_G]

Well as ive said before its up to my Dad and what he decides to do!

That Graham Coleman bloke studied in Bangor university, thats where im from, coolness lol