Have I Got Damp Or Condensation.....?

[Myhouse2012]

Ok so I have recently bought my first home with my girlfriend and we paid an extra £350 for the survey which was on top of what the bank paid for us so we could have a full survey done, it came back that the surveyor had a slight damp reading from his machine in our bay window, from what I've read bay windows can we a pain sometimes...the day we moved in we started to paint, it's been four months since then and some of the paint behind the tv has come off and it feels slightly wet, we have an air vent in the opposite corner as we have a gas fire and that has a little bit of discoloring and a bit of mold growing around it, we do dry our cloths in the house and seem to need a new window in the bathroom and as the bathroom is an extension I need to get into the roof to insulate it, after a shower or bath the sealing and walls drip and its gets very cold in there due to it having two and a half outside walls...we dont have a fan fitted yet as i thought the window would be enough, the bathroom is down stairs... sorry if it's a little confusing.....

[EcclesCake]

It sounds like you need to get an extractor fan fitted in your bathroom. That should sort you out.

[Myhouse2012]

So you think if we buy a dryer and put a fan in, it should stop the problem, I thought something as simple as that would work but wasn't sure??

[EcclesCake]

It's impossible to say but if your home is poorly ventilated and you are dryng clothes in it (which will add to the moisture in the air) then you are likely to encounter a damp problem.

Try improving your ventilation.

[Mosaic]

Extractor fan in bathroom and try leaving an oil-filled radiator on all or most of the time in troubled rooms. Not necessarily on high, but just constantly giving out background heat so the space doesn't go cold and so allow condensation.

[Old_Geezer]

I assume the bay referred to isn't in the bathroom. TV's not being common there. I think you need to find out what the surveyor thought the damp was. Was it not in the report ?

Could be penatrating, or rising. Condensation is only one explanation.

Yes condensation could be your bathroom issue. A fan/vent should help with that. As a secondary issue insulate the walls too to keep you warm.

But find the cause of the damp before planning the next move.

[dustypuss]

I think you should get an extractor fan in the bath room wired into the light so that it comes on every time you turn the lights on. Drying your clothes on the radiator is ok but the water from them has got to go somewhere so it is a good investment to get a dehumidifier. But look out for your house plants as it will suck them dry. And yes I think that you have damp in your bay window

[Myhouse2012]

Hey thanks for the reply's.....I had a guy come round and he suggested it was damp but then tried to sell me one of those air vent systems that go in your loft at a cost of £650 :(, It's funny though at how cold the bathroom gets and the survey didn't pick anything up...so just to put me at ease does this sound like a plan, buy a dryer, put an extractor fan in the bathroom and insulate the bathroom roof as its a pitched roof.... hopefully problem solved fingers crossed.... : )

[Myhouse2012]

sorry was meant to say the guy suggested it was condensation on the bay window wall which is in the lounge...

[The Builder]

You seem to have the worst of two worlds, Myhouse. Cold walls and surfaces, and a lot of water vapour generated.

Definitely insulate as much as you can. Bay windows, incidentally, are very prone to condensation. Usually a cold spot below the window, with hardly any air movement to clear the vapour. Almost stagnant air.

You have a gas fire, so I guess a gas cooker as well. Burning gas produces loads of water. If you don't have an extractor over the cooker, it is essential. Not a filter one, but something that gets rid of the steam to the outside.
Clothes drying is a big problem too. A tumble dryer would help a lot.

Also, do have an extractor fan fitted in the bathroom... vented to outside.

Even in a well insulated new house, you are producing too much water vapour. You'll notice a big difference if you can deal with it.

[Bazza2764uk]

If you tape some tin foil to the wall, and ease it off so there's a little gap, if the water is on the underside its a damp priblt, if its in the other side then it'd condensation

[Myhouse2012]

Ok tonight ill try and tin foil experiment and ill get back on here to let you know what the results are, and I don't have an extractor fan in the bathroom but I will have a about a week or so.....it amazing how one room and effect the hole house, but its a learning curve and give me something so work on at home : )