can anyone suggest how to frshen up dampness?

[helsbels666]

We are currently renting a very old property and it is extremely damp. We have just about got to cope with the physical cold but the smell is horrendous. Even after cleaning rigorously, air fresheners and having the heating on....when you go out and come in it smells of mould and damp. It's embarrassing and unpleasant, we have even tried damp proof paint but it just seeps through!

[acorn]

Do you have a celler? Sometimes this is where the smell comes from. We have one but luckily it has a window and seems smell free. But our back room used to have a carpet fitted. When we removed it as i liked the idea of floorboards we took away the skirting board. Now whenever its damp or cold we get the smell of musty dampness no matter what we do. Its coming from the dirt under the floorboards and short of digging it all out (totally impossible) we just have to live with it. So, have you got floorboards showing? Or maybe dampproof course has been breached and the smell is coming from the floor. Damp proof paint wont stop the smell only keep the mould growth down.

[xrayspecs]

If you are renting the property get on to the landlord. The fact that it's old does not detract from your rights as a tennant. You can get your local. environmental health inspectors to make an assesement, adding weight to your complaint. Living in a damp environment can lead to serious bronchial complaints. If your landlord is reluctant to act, threaten to withold the rent until it's sorted out. It may just force the issue.

[tiger104]

Hi, I have a cellar and I find that a dehumidifier helps to dry it out, put it the damp room and shut the door and leave it constantly on, until it goes off on its own, which means its full, open the door and empty the water tank then replace it, it will suck the moisture out the room but make sure no windows are open in there, look in your local paper and get one out there x although it wont do anything about smell for the time being it will halp the cause of the problem.

[xrayspecs]

Using a dehumidifier won't do anything to help the cause. It won't cure damp. It's your landlords problem not yours so don't spend any money on dehumidifiers, or anything else. Get the landlord to sort it.