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Damp Proofing

New build house, moisture content 15% do I require solid DPM or vapour barrier suffice?

Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.47 PM

Urgent question please - New build house, concrete base with integrated damp proof membrane within it but moisture readings of 15% - laying engineered maple flooring - do I require solid damp proof membrane or will vapour barrier such as QA barrier underlay suffice? I also have Lymes disease so any form of dampness particularly bad for my health. Grateful if you can explain difference between them and if wood might be prone to dampness if only vapour barrier used instead of solid damp proof membrane please.

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2 Answers

cmw floors and wetrooms

Rating: 4.9 out of 5

Frinton On Sea

Hi Rosie, while 15% is not high, with a health issue such as yours needing as much damp reduction as possible, i would install a dehumidifier until any remaining moisture has been fully removed. Worst case scenario is 1 - 2 weeks, the DPM only covers the moisture, causing it to find another form of exit, (walls, etc).Hope this helps, Chris.

Answered10 May 2019

e.lyon construction

Rating: 5 out of 5

Prescot

The moisture content in the new concrete floor drys out, as a rule of thumb at 1 inch per week. So if the concrete is 6 inches (150mm) thick, it will take approximately 6 weeks to dry out from the day it was laid. Better not to seal it in. For a new house to fully dry out can take as much as 9 months. Dehumidifier will speed things up. I had 2 industrial humidifiers running for 2 weeks constant on a new build and they were still producing water. Plastered and painted walls are full of moisture which can transfer to the floors. Better not to rush things and give it time to dry out.

Answered15 July 2019