Penetrating, Rising, Lateral and Condensation Damp Issues Solved

All these damp issues were present on the walls of this small contract we were on today. See how we went on and how quick the system we used is to install.

[@sergiofernandez3725]

This looked like an interesting and challenging job due to its location. Nice work Sam

[@michellerobinson6475]

Really enjoyed this. I have an interview tomorrow for a damp and mould surveyor for the local authority I work for. I’m swatting watching diagnosis videos and this was fun to watch. Finding so many of you that make the subject fun 😂

[@dampsam]

Mention me in the interview I may know the interviewers 👍

[@michellerobinson6475]

@@dampsam it was local authority. I had if Tuesday. I got the job!!! 😁😁😁

[@MuhammadAbbas-mq5ty]

What a mess this is just going to make it worse, This house is a solid wall no cavity you should lime plaster the inside or atleast use something like limelite which is hybrid plaster this will keep the water vapour evaporating and to make it warm you can add some hemp to this plaster or cork.Also no drainage at the from of the house high ground levels are also going to contribute.

[@dampsam]

You haven’t got a clue, limlite is cement base lad, you all think your experts by watching clips instead of being there, TAF 🫣

[@stevenmck4290]

Wall was probably wet due to the high external ground levels and all of the impermeable Materials put onto the wall

[@dampsam]

There’s a bit of everything as I explain at the beginning,

[@daleburns7110]

@@dampsam no need to inject anything into a wall it achieves nothing Jack plaster off and let it dry and then plaster in LIME ……not cement …this is causing the problem in the first place Wow PCA

[@patspencer2573]

I’ve just watched this with interest , thank you Sam. I have a single brick old coal store that had been converted into a ground floor WC when I moved in. It is clearly in need of a damp proof before any dry walking and tiling. So thank you for this video . Do you do near Merseyside? But so clear and great to see a northern guy producing you tube videos. Thank you

[@dampsam]

Thanks Pat, we do travel but it wouldn’t be cheap for us to come where you are. There is a great company a bit nearer called RTC give the boss Andrew a call.

[@leefennel2980]

Just the advice I needed. One question is if plaster is fine just condensation issue solid base can I dry adhesive straight onto that without taking back to brick its a 10 inch solid wall by the way. Thanks fir your time mate

[@dampsam]

If the plaster is solid you can sick on the boards but not with drywall adhesive, use Drygrip adheasive it won’t get wet and smell damp

[@jonmould2946]

Lee fennel@ If your house is pre 1930 this is the wrong thing to do.

[@patrickgilmour9826]

Another great video did I miss what you put on the wall before boarding went on to stop condensation

[@dampsam]

Before the board goes on we put a salt neutraliser cream, it’s not to stop condensation it’s to neutraliser any salts evaporating from the wall when it’s drying out.

[@wendyNEWwoo]

@dampsam is there something you can paint on the wall like Storm Dry?

[@scootertheeb6172]

How to treat lateral damp in the basement? The outside is concrete paving and backfill with an obvious broken or failed dampproofing membrane, so we can't dig out and redo it.

[@dampsam]

I’d get an expert to have a look and work you some prices out, make sure the have the relevant qualifications tho.

[@adrianshingler6182]

Great videos... mum's 1950's built house was empty for 6 months .. we moved in and now have damp marks about 16 inches up the living room wall.... can't find anywhere where moisture is coming in ... could this be internal moisture trapped from when the house was empty, we have the log burner on in the adjoining back room and it's making the damp marks more pronounced

[@dampsam]

It could be an internal issue due to a lack of adequate ventilation, log burners give off a lot of moisture from the timber

[@adrianshingler6182]

@@dampsam cheers simon

[@riboid]

The mindest is changing for builders and joiners about insulation and air tightness, but some of them are still in the dark ages.

[@dampsam]

Yes your right Ks

[@rickmartinez96]

I have water droplets in the corner of my ceiling on the outside wall .brick house ranch house any what it can be i live in illinois ?

[@dampsam]

Fly me out I’ll do you a survey n report

[@rickmartinez96]

@dampsam Im not sure i could afford that right now Do you phone consultations ? I can zelle you for your time

[@korayakyazi9912]

Love your videos mate, shame you probs too far to come up to Cumbria so I'm after some advice. got soil oversight in mid terrace victorian 1855 no physical DPC. standing water all along front wall. with water gushing in through foundation bricks after rain. surface water goes directrly out to road drainage. Would you recomend a sump pump to take water out to road drain? or replace floor with concrete and some chemical dpc? There is a video i have uploaded on me channel.

[@dampsam]

We did a job in Cumbria early this year after I did a survey. It not cheap for us to travel though but the guy wanted us to carry out the work. It’s really hard to say without a site visit. Wouldn’t want to give any wrong advise too

[@barryroberts9302]

Good job fella

[@johnfarnell749]

Great video. I have when using dry sticks can you use insulated plaster board?

[@dampsam]

Iv fixed insulated boards recently after fitting a dpc

[@chrisburrell9720]

Loving the videos mate. How did you gain your qualifications? I’m interested in gaining them. Thank you

[@dampsam]

I became a preliminary member of the PCA with a view to becoming a full member once I took the surveying exams and passed

[@johncranna]

I have internal insulation to three external walls of my end of terraced house with 9 inch solid brickwork. I don't appear to have any problems of condensation on the inside of the brick walls, but then I can't see them!! It's been up for 15 years. How are you ensuring that you won't get water vapour getting from the house, through the plasterboard/gaps and condensing on the inside face of brick wall?

[@dampsam]

You make sure the internal ventilation is adequate

[@kevsmith5363]

Whats with all the bars on the windows think id just move somewhere else

[@kirkwint8354]

Hi iv got a single brick work shop at home and every time its foggy misty out side my tools are damp/wet in side any ideas please thank you ps the work shop is away from the house thanks again

[@dampsam]

It sounds like the building is not insulated or ventilated adequately. I would look at these areas first.

[@kirkwint8354]

@@dampsam thank you have nice day

[@moeenahmed6853]

Hi pal. Did you use regular plaster or insulated plasterboard then stuck on the wall with the foam gun. Would it not been better if u timbered and boarded pal?

[@dampsam]

Every job is different

[@orcunguducu7837]

Great video thank you for that. I have a question. One of our room has been plaster 6 months ago. Although I have waited 1.5 month, there was still plaster smell and I decided to painted to see if the smell will gone but still there. It has been 6 months now and I can still smell it. There is no leak or anything. House is 35 years old. What might be the issue? Do you have any idea?

[@dampsam]

You would need to describe the smell in a bit more detail and tell me how the wall was plastered, was it just skimmed or dry lined with plasterboard & adhesive? I’m guessing the smell may be musty and could be the plaster dots that are still wet & perished , can you describe the work you had done and why?

[@orcunguducu7837]

@@dampsam Thank you so much for replying. Before, wall was covered with old wall paper. When I removed it, I saw old cement wall with lots of air holes on it. There were no sign of water penetration or anything on that wall. Later the wall was skimmed in order to have smooth surface. This was done 6 months ago. After wall was skimmed, I have waited for 1.5 month and Gypsum (plaster) was turned into white so I thought it is ready for painting but there was still plaster smell back then. I still decided to paint it and it has been 4 more months and smell is still there. It is not musty smell. It is like a drying plaster smell. I have paint the wall couple of times with special water based paint which has great bounding. Paint company suggested me that paint. It helped to mask the smell a bit but still I can smell it especially if i close to doors, odor fills the room. After I watched your video, I have measured the humidity of the room and measured %63. So it is high. Can it be a reason?

[@connoryoung5523]

Hi, I have an external bedroom wall. Header and stretcher, rendered externally and having issues with condensation damp on the wall. I’m probably abit out the way for you I’d say but if I hack the old plaster off and replace with insulated board and instafix should help stop it ? Cheers

[@dampsam]

I would say instastik and Drygrip but always get a competent qualified specialist surveyor look on site to make sure your treating the right dampness

[@Gaz2604-u9c]

Hi Sam I have a question I have recently bought a house that looks like I have a internal damp problem on the internal walls,none on the exterior walls what could be the cause of this seems very strange also on the kitchen wall I have a similar problem to this video it just seems like the damp is on the dot and dabs coming through the walls guessing this is probably just a hot and cold problem as in this video. Thanks in advance for any reply.

[@dampsam]

It’s could be cold thermal bridging on the dots with condensation forming on the

[@nickatkinson5567]

Hi Sam, any company’s you could recommend in the midlands?I’ve got a problem with condensation damp

[@dampsam]

If you go on the PCA website your nearest qualified surveyors can be found by doing a postcode search

[@susanoldham7752]

Hi, do all solid brick built houses suffer damp issues?🤔 My 3 bed end terrace always suffers in winter with mould 😔

[@herrschmitt9015]

Have a look at Peter ward he talks a lot about damp in older buildings. Poor ventilation can cause mould problems.

[@williamrafff]

Some do some don’t. Building Orientation and lifestyle choices play a big part in determining whether condensation related mould is likely to occur. In your case, you have three external walls exposed to the elements - this configuration will always suffer more from condensation as you have three “cold” walls to contend with - “whenever warm (internal) air meets a cold surface, the moisture in the warm air cools rapidly and deposits the moisture in the form of condensation. Left unchecked this will damage decorated surfaces, soft furnishings, timber, plaster and will manifest - generally at high level, as mould. Every building is different but generally speaking. - if you heat every room adequately and ventilate as much as possible you will keep most if not all of the mould at bay. Clean any existing mould with bleach, cover the affected area with stain block and paint with a good quality kitchen or bathroom paint (anti - fungal) - Do NOT use emulsion - it is water based - mould needs moisture to thrive - use cheap emulsion and you are effectively feeding the mould. If you can wait until the warmer weather before commencing any remediation - all the better. Good luck, Will.

[@patrickgilmour9826]

@@williamrafff iv just read your reply iv tanked the wall with ka tanking slurry and iv got bad condensation on the tanking what could I do to stop it before I board it cheers

[@anthonymclean9743]

@@patrickgilmour9826 Oh dear worst thing you could have done is put tanking slurry on walls 🤣

[@patrickgilmour9826]

@@anthonymclean9743 bit late now iv put insulation board on and had it all plastered ilnjust av to wait and see

[@user-cn1em2qx6f]

what is the thickness and brand of insulation board u used?

[@dampsam]

I use different ones for different jobs.

[@Lemon-squeezer]

My 3 bed end terrace always get bad condensation on the external walls in all the bedrooms 1 metre up I've ventilated heated up the rooms etc used dehumidifiers and it always comes back,would I be able to knock the plaster off a metre up and use renovation plaster or is it pointless

[@dampsam]

I wouldn’t be able to comment without seeing the property

[@stephenblidgeon9551]

Similar to kirt below, I've got a single brick wash house right next to the kitchen. In the winter months moisture comes through the brick and roof and its very cold. I have droplets of water on the ceiling. What treatment would it need to damp proof these walls?

[@dampsam]

Again you need to pinpoint what the actual cause is because droplets of moisture sound like it could be condensation forming on the cold surface. Part of solving the issue could be adding more adequate ventilation and insulation. I would get a qualified person to survey it before spending any money.

[@stephenblidgeon9551]

@@dampsam thanks Simon I'll do just that

[@stevengordon2145]

Thermal boards vs normal plasterboards... builders ain't gonna pay it. unfortunately the reality of the building industry today. the reason I pulled away from site work years ago. got sick of watching working People get screwed over for profit.

[@dampsam]

I hear what your saying

[@craigscook]

Wanted a cellar tanking quote but no call back when called twice

[@dampsam]

Sorry to hear you had issue, we don’t call back we send out a responder email asking for more detail if you left your email address. If you sent a request on the quick quote and left your email address you should also have had a responder giving a rough estimated cost which works out around £1,000 per m2 of floor area. If you did leave your email address the only thing I can think is that the help desk took it down wrong and for this we can only apologise again.

[@dampsam]

Iv just searched for Craig Cook in our emails and there is nothing coming up.

[@craigscook]

Simon Cooper HNC CSRT CSSW I called the number and the person who answered asked for details. Can you give them please and I’ll try again

[@tomf4547]

Hi, £1000 for a square metre. Where is All the cost plz, sounds a lot?

[@mbak7801]

Ouch.... Walls have to breathe. Do not tank as it will destroy the fabric of the property.

[@daleburns7110]

Absolutely unnecessary! You said at the start it’s a Victorian house….I.e solid wall…..the use of modern materials that trap moisture have caused this problem…….when you hacked all the plasterboard and gypsum off…….it would of dried out ……the rest you have done is not needed! You’ve now charged a customer for things they didn’t need and achieve nothing! Lime only not cement

[@stevengordon2145]

While I don't like seeing stuff like that I'm personally a massive fan of lime plasterer work. but and there's a but sometimes there's no choice..it's the best of two evils. it looks like the building has been redone at some point which means other external walls have also been done.. covered with boards so hack off and thermal board is best route on that wall as to lime render will absolutely murder the clients pocket. in addition if the mould or mildew has not started to travel along and up onto internal walls..don't create more work by hacking off more plasterboards ect..the clients have to foot the bill. lime work takes weeks to dry out and in that time more gymsum plaster is becoming damp.. gymsum don't like moisture once dried out its needs to come off you can't force dry it..also putting in a central heating system is extremely difficult. as it needs to be carefully controlled, due to how dry air in the building needs to move otherwise it will condense as it cools, plus bacteria in the air grows at body temperature. not freezing or boiling hot. too hot you destroy the lime work as it can't breathe if too dry or to wet you take condension levels up to saturation point.. soon as warm air hits it and your back at square one again. at 9.5 grams of moisture your room/building is fine but I can guarantee you most houses are well above that due to insufficiently vented. Good ventilation and air movement married with a digitally monitored heating system is best. Hammering the man for trying to sort out an iusse due to the builders cost cutting tactics is unfair. builders and home owners need to understand that damp is often caused by client neglect or insufficient knowledge of the materials used in the initial construction. P.S a rapidtest meter like you buy online is useless to detect damp as it picks salts in the plasterwork not moisture levels. It's only good for checking timberwork.

[@dampsam]

Hi Dale, I’m not adverse to anything lime but you need to look at all options and how they work in buildings, you lime advocates seem to only want one type of system and have little knowledge of how moisture affects buildings and how modern systems work. I’m not sure how old you are but I was working with traditional lime plasters in the early 80s , iv plastered lath walls too. There are Benefits to using traditional methods on old listed buildings but these systems take time and money. These are things that people don’t have, this is why modern systems were invented. I imagine it’s great when you roll up on site with your horse n cart because I suspect you won’t have a van being a traditionalist, is all the plumbing in your house lead too and all your windows single glazed and you wood burning aga. Look up the word ludoteca then ask yourself if it’s you that justa hates change.

[@daleburns7110]

@@dampsam I understand they are more expensive ……but in the long run they are not ……gypsum plaster does not belong on a solid wall? Correct! Wet r it’s a Cheaper option or not it’s not what should be used as it’s not solving the problem! The point about lime is very simple …..solid walls had lime which lets moisture in and out and allows for movement …….you then replace with a. Rock hard cement and one…..your cement is harder than the brick and so damages them and two…..does not allow moisture to escape ……I.e condensation ……nothing more to it …..any use of materials on a solid wall that are not fully breathable are useless! Which type of lime did you used to use? As limelite for sure isn’t one of those …..not breathable as it has cement

[@jasonmussett6685]

all what you have done will come back in a year poor practice

[@dampsam]

And why do you think that sir ?

[@jasonmussett6685]

just looke at what u are doing taken off an putting back exactly as it was plastering to the concrete floor so damp will just rise from the floor up again

[@mauricereidy9034]

Bluffer not a clue wally, total disregard of Building Sceince.

[@anneevans9154]

well said Maurice. lacking in education I say