Damp Proofing

Damp, moldy patches which arn't behaving like some of the causes Ive been told.

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.40 PM

I'll have to go through the long story, I'm sorry but things just arn't adding up to a simple solution. The house is a 3 bed 1940's built ex council, with cavity property. Downstairs, the worst of the damp lurks behind the kitchen cupboards (exteriour wall) black mold, musty, blown wood chip, spiders, yuck. The outer wall is 2ft painted brick and then render, north facing, the morter of the brick work looks salted and like spiders have taken up residence in the bricks. Is this rising damp or condensation? I have now got the tumble dryer in the kichen and vented through the wall, so assume this will help dry the inside and so far smells like it. Had an issue about 10 years ago of black mold next to a chimney brest floor level (exteriour wall) in the living room but that just feels cold and a bit damp. Upstairs the bathroom (nauraly) has damp patches on the cealing i'll agree to condensation ( window open lots) The worst part is a bed room with a confusig sarga. The same wall next to the chimney brest but upstairs, 10 years ago pulled a smelly wardrobe and found pleanty of black mold even some green. It was raining out side and there was a small trickle down the wall. There is an exteriour air brick behind. I striped the paper and painted with damp-stop and left it at that. I left whilst hubby got scrached by thistles on the other side of the garden fence. In the meantime the cavity got filled (no punns there). The room redecorated 2 years ago. 15 months ago the black mold first appered in the very top corner, single wardrobe about 3ft away in the same alcove (ventilated enough?). 12 months ago put two chests of drawers in this alcove the patch still grew and across the top of the chimney brest and started to go green behind the drawers. Had to move rooms again (7 people in our home) 6 months ago big wardrobe in alcove = huge smelly patch of mold. I've been told there is a big overhang to not cause problems, the guttering on the side of the house has forced a dip in the center and spilling over so not possible to be that. No mold on the out side. The render is massively failing but not in that corner. nothing obvious on the roof, joists and roof felt dry. the window in the winter is always wet. Is this just condensation? Why was the mold still growing without furiture in front? And why Green at the bottom of the alcove? If possibly realy bad condensation alone, which is best extraction fans, dehumidifiers or heat recovery (been recomended attic to hallway type) and do you get what you pay for. Can I get away with cheeper option if rendering needs doing aswell?