Grinning/Ghosting Block on Internal Wall

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Hemingway, Dec 17, 2014.

  1. Hemingway

    Hemingway New Member

    My tenant has sent me pictures of the internal bedroom wall in my house. It shows some disturbing damp issue, resulting in the motor between the blocks appearing through the plaster and painted walls.

    I had the house redecorated before she moved in and never seen this before.

    What could be causing this? It tends to happen after she has had a shower and not related to rain from outside. How can this be resolved? Obviously, I want to rectify this ASAP.

    Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Where is shower in relation to this room i take it you have a good extractor in shower .
     
  3. Hemingway

    Hemingway New Member

    Shower is next to this room and no, there is no extractor in the shower. Photo it taken from the doorway into the bedroom and if you turn 90 deg, you will be facing the bathroom.

    Its only a small 2 bed semi, so upstairs on the first floor is a bedroom at either end with the bathroom in the middle, all accessed from the hall.

    Could it be something as simple as condensation and resolved with an extractor?
     
  4. Thats the very first thing i would be trying screwfix do a really good one silent. (So the tenant wont turn it of) so is that an outside wall always condensate on coldest spot
     
  5. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    First of all welcome to the forum.

    We had something similar but not as bad.

    If the house is not heated as tenants try to save money by not keeping the heating on also if there are many people in the property, I once visited a property where a family of 4 was sleeping in a bedroom. It does need to be dealt with as items will become mouldy, especially back panels of furniture and shoes etc. Also drying of clothes indoors is one of the culprits. The house needs ventilation, do they keep the window open after shower to get rid of most of the steam?

    Are there trickle vents fitted on the windows and are these double glazed units? also Is there condensation forming on the inner panes?
     
  6. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    They should also be closing bedroom door when using shower.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  7. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Things to check:

    1) Are tiles in bathroom grouted, and does the tiling cover the vicinity of the shower
    2) Sealant around the bath, if this is a shower in bath
    3) If an electric shower, is this located on the opposite side of the wall, could there be a loose connection in the unit. Remove cover with it isolated and check compression joint.

    We had a damp company come in and it was condensation. It was particularity predominant in one bedroom, there were 4. They recommend fitting a PIV positive input ventilation unit, at a cost of around £900.
     
  8. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    If you could get a photo of the bathroom as well.
     
  9. Hi Jitender are you thinking shower behind damp wall in photo 1 ,iam thinking shower /bathroom to left of photo1
     
  10. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    This is the wall I think the shower is located on.


    upload_2014-12-17_23-6-21.png
     
  11. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    I honestly can't see that if the shower was leaking anywhere, then it would spread along the wall as much as it does (specially in the second photo) I'd say it's condensation causing the problem. As Jit has already said /asked,,, Is the tenant drying clothes inside the house (without opening the windows? ) Does she ever open the windows? ;);)
     
  12. Hemingway

    Hemingway New Member

  13. That floorplan doesn't correspond with what you were saying above.

    2 bedrooms and one bathroom. The bath/shower is against the stairwell. With the bath/shower on the opposite wall of the bathroom to the bedroom wall.

    So I think we can completely discount it being a leak of any sort?

    Surely that modern bathroom already has an extractor?

    In any case, it's pretty obvious, I think, that it's down to condensation; that bedroom is probably being kept cold for most if not all of the time, and it probably not being vented to the outside either (window on 'trickle').

    It's probably the coldest room in the house, and it also looks as tho' the tenant is creating a huge amount of damp inside as suggested above. Hot damp air from downstairs and the bathroom is rising up and condensing out in that bedroom.

    That's a 'modern' house so presumably insulated to a reasonable standard? In which case this problem is being created by the tenant through misguided behaviour, and - sorry, luv' - she is liable for the damage caused.

    You may need to get an independent damp specialist in to back up what's happening here, and you can then look at remedies, one of which will almost certainly be for the tenant to change their behaviour;

    Fan on during showers and baths, with bathroom door closed and possibly window opened on vent setting. Bedroom door also closed but windows always open on vent setting - tho' windows can be shut in the evenings when the heating is on to warm up the room, but should really be vent-opened during the night too if the bedroom door is closed overnight; bodies give out a huge amount of water overnight.

    How are clothes being dried - that might need addressing.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 18, 2014
  14. Astonishing construction, tho' - these walls are plastered directly on to the blockwork?! I presume it's thermal blocks at least?
     
  15. Yes condensation is a nightmare it wont be shower leak get an over run fan fitted in bathroom soon as ask tenant avoid things like drying wet clothing on radiators ect open window in kitchen a little when cooking iam guessing hob extractor is not externally vented like people have said keep bathroom door closed when showering.
     
  16. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    If the tenant signed a tenancy agreement they are required to heat and ventilate the house, check this in the contract. The house is immaculate, cant even get a 1 bed flat for that much in my area.:(

    A survey/report carried out by a condensation/damp company will reveal whiter it is a condensation issue.

    You could provide a tumble dryer, but some clothes like wool need air drying. A solution would be to to provide a dehumidifier?
     
  17. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    A bathroom fan would help, but I doubt it will stop this is an extreme case. If you get a fan I would recommend getting a mixed flow one that vents through the roof and out of a tile or out fascia as these are more powerful with much higher extraction rates.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2014
  18. I agree with that, Jit; this is not a fault with the property, it is down to the tenant's chosen habits.

    It's in Hemingway's interests to try and help the tenant by - say - checking that a bathroom fan is fitted and works well, and perhaps even being kind enough to supply a venting tumble drier - ie; keep on best possible terms and show that you are a good landlord.

    But, if this condensation continues as it is, the tenant needs to be taken to task as they are almost certainly responsible for it - and the damage it'll cause.
     
  19. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    I noticed in the lounge there is a fire, is it a gas flue-less fire.

    Don't know much about these but when I visited a fireplace shop they said gas flue-less fires contribute to condensation. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

    Also noticed in the kitchen that there are only french doors, obviously these can't be opened in bad weather. Is there any other source of ventilation in the kitchen whilst cooking. Also the cooker hood if fitted would have been better if ducted outside, is it recirculating one? Could be done to vent straight out through gable end wall. Some of these cooker hoods require 150mm ducting, so do check this.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2014
  20. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Ooh, I don't know. If that corner of room is the one under the bottom end of gable-end of house, I'd be checking outside for water getting in there!

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     

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