Rising Damp and failed Damp Proof Course

[yak.h'cir]

Ventilation and drying laundry outdoors is tricky in a ground floor flat where there is no extractor fan in the kitchen, where the extractor fan in the bathroom doesn't "run on" when the light is switched off and doesn't include a humidistat, where the couple are out at work five days a week and in a country where it rains occasionally.

It sounds like you've already identified the cause of the damp/mould problem, surely these faults would come under the landlords responsibility to repair? Other than the work and rain of course!! If there's no venting in the bathroom or kitchen and they're drying clothes indoors then it's a virtual certainty that this is the cause of the damp problem. It forms in bands/lines because the level of condensation across the wall is dependent on how cold the wall is (warmest at the top generally but can be affected by windows/lintels or a few other factors).

These might be useful for making an agrument to the landlord (Government housing safety guidelines):
https://assets.publishing.service.g.../uploads/attachment_data/file/9425/150940.pdf

“There should be sufficient and appropriate means of ventilation to deal with moisture generated by normal domestic activities without the need to open windows. Opening windows can result in heat loss, noise, and may be a security risk. There may be no need for additional background ventilation where windows are ill-fitting, no draught stripping, and/or where there are open chimney flues. Where there is draught-stripping, or tight fitting windows, provision for background ventilation may be necessary via trickle vents in replacement windows, insertion of high-level airbricks, or by a passive stack or a MHRV system”

 

[stockhausen]

Many thanks for that link, it could prove to be really useful.

 

[Orionaut]

Rising damp is a myth.

If you have damp in a house it is either being generated internally (Condensation from poor ventilation/inadequate heating) or is coming from above (Bad gutters etc)

(Or, in the case of pre 1900 houses, some ignorant jerk has re-pointed the brickwork using cement mortar!)

 

[stockhausen]

Rising damp is a myth. . . .

So there is no point in bothering with a DPC then?

. . . (Condensation from poor ventilation/inadequate heating) . . .

I can entirely see and wholeheartedly agree with the "ventilation" point but so far as I can see, neither adequate or inadequate heating will alter humidity levels and/or condensation; the humidity is going to be there as a result of breathing, washing and cooking.

 

[Orionaut]

So there is no point in bothering with a DPC then?

YES. Rising damp is a myth!

Builders and Inscos will reject this for all sorts of reasons but really...

I live in a 19th (Parts 18th) c house with no DPC. there is no rising damp.

You can build a wall of clay bricks with the bottom row immersed in a pool of water and the damp will creep up two rows of bricks and then stop.

I have done this myself just to test the theory.

Rising damp is a myth! It doesn't happen. If you have damp in a house it is coming from somewhere else! It is ABSOLUTELY NOT coming from the ground!