Damp walls

[curlyperm11]

Not long moved into a nice privately rented house and its all been renovated, however the owner had a prob with the previous tenent letting a leaking gutter carry on leaking for moths and months so it made a couple of the walls sodden, they have repaired it and replaced the flashings but....the patches of damp have started to appear (not the black mould) just looks patchy and mottled but unsightly, now i jnow the landlord will sort it but not to any great expense so i am asking for any long/ish term solutions like ...sanding it down a few layers and applying damp proof paint? Or pasting tin foil? Ive heard a few ideas but any expert d.i.y ers on here with any others would be greatfully received. Chers and T.I.A. X

[ummmm]

I think the walls will need to dry out first.

[RATTER15]

if it is just damp then it will dry out, a dehumidifier will help. or is the wall itself damaged?

[curlyperm11]

Cheers i did think that about the wall drying out, but its a back facing wall that seems to get hit by the driving rain etc..... I was hoping that something could be used to just stop it showing through the paper whilst waiting for it to dry out? Seems to be spreading. : (

[Zacs-Master]

How old is the property and are the Walls stone or brick?

[ummmm]

We recently had a flood. The insurance company supplied us with a dehumidifier and an air blower. It was on 24 hours a day for 8 days before the walls were dry enough.

Maybe you can hire these?

[curlyperm11]

The property is 1800's terrace so brick i guess? The landlady has offered me a dehumidifier and money towards the electric? So maybe that will help?

[Zacs-Master]

Brick I guess(?). The point I was going to make was if it is brick then there will a most certainly be a cavity between the two layers which means that driving rain should not get to the inner layer. If it is stone it may not have a cavity so rain could be seeping thru.

[curlyperm11]

Ah ok right well i shall investigate further, i am certain it is brick though? Shes coming round on wednesday so i shall put that theory to her . And thanks. : )

[The Builder]

1800s brick most likely to be a 9" solid brick wall. Rain easily penetrates that thickness of solid construction.
This is a very common problem. The pukka way is to fix a detached timber stud wall inside the original with a cavity and insulation, finished in plasterboard and plaster. The trouble is, very few landlords will go to the expense, despite the fact that it's protecting her investment.
There's very little that you, as a tenant, can do.
A cheap, effective solution to penetrating damp is to simply paint a simple silicon based sealer on the external surface. It lasts quite a few years, and works well.

http://www.decorating...cone_Water_Repellent/

The interior plaster will then dry out in time. :o)

[The Builder]

........... duff link .........

http://www.decorating...cone_Water_Repellant/

[curlyperm11]

Thank you all, but especially 'the builder' i checked out the link for silicone paint can i use it on the inside of the house? Ie....lounge wall/kitchen wall where its showing the worst? T.I.A. X

[The Builder]

No, Curly, not on the inside. It's not a "stain blocker" type sealer. You could use one of them before redecorating.
Water repellent is just for exterior use ....... on exposed faces. It simply soaks into the brickwork and forms a barrier to the rain.
I'm afraid it's not in the great book of "How to do things properly without bodging". Purists would hate the idea of anything that interferes with a building "breathing"......... but, in some cases you just have to address the problem at hand.
Landlords not keeping properties in good condition is one of the reasons we have some of the most inefficient and below standard housing stock in Europe.
Anyway, you do what you have to, to keep the interior liveable. :o)