vapour Archives - Surveyor Tips

104W: Neighbour dispute averted

Keep an open mind, listen but don’t make assumptions until you have checked, in this case the neighbour’s side. Minimise neighbourly disputes.

Early twentieth century house appeared to have rising damp. However, evidence demonstrates that it was condensation, with heat loss from rain.

This modern apartment has a PIV unit yet condensation is forming and mould is growing across many surfaces.

When damp is widespread consider the chances of excess humidity. Request the occupier to use a datalogger to find the cause of excess vapour.

This property was recently chemically damp proofed but remains damp, as rising damp was not, and very rarely ever is the root cause.

Ask and listen some, occupiers will give the greatest clues. Here owners stopped using the bathroom vent as it was flapping in the wind.

Not all damp at the base of a wall is caused by condensation, but it is much more common that rising damp by a factor of at least 10 X.

En-suite bathrooms are of particular risk, made worse by heat loss to front. Get the occupiers to install and use a datalogger.

Victorian garden flat with damaging damp proofing reportedly installed by Peter Cox. Hygroscopic salts – there is no evdidence of rising damp.

Landlord feared expensive penetrating damp treatment. Fortunately the root cause was insufficient ventilation and heat imbalance.