I live in an 1870's end terrace, back wall of ground floor sunk into hillside, near top of a hill, built of whin stone. I am getting a damp patch in the bottom north corner of the livingroom. It seems to come and go, looks like condensation, has a real sheen to it, and can be bone dry in really wet weather. I am assuming perhaps that some water is penetrating the earth retaining wall, but have lifted floorboards at that end of the room and apart from some damp sand and cold bricks, no wetness, and all wood dry, joists good, ventilation ok. therefore, i think that condensation is forming due to this corner being very cold. There appears to be a brick cavity wall also - maybe some debris is causing moisture/coldness to bridge at the bottom of the wall? (house renovated in 60's and tar also used below the suspended floor and maybe up the walls a bit - cant tell.
anyway, not too concerned as no damage to wood and will keep an eye on it. the carpet has been removed, and the laminate is next, as we intend to sand the floor which will increase ventilation.
however, since stripping back the wallpaper, with emulsion painted over it, the plaster has been drying out and there are now salts to about 50cm in places. How do I decorate over this? I dont want to start introducing waterproof repellants etc, as the 'damp' corner was already treated by a damp specialist when we bought the house, and i think this has just displaced the moisture elsewhere.
If there is no way of stopping some moisture getting through the bricks to the plaster/lining paper/new emulsion, could we dry line the wall, and if so, how much does this cost? (area wall 15m2). are there any breathable paints we could use on top of the lining paper, as we only noticed the problem in November, after painting over the wallpaper in July. prior to that, in winter last year it was just wallpaper and I cant recall seeing any moisture there last year, though the really foolproof moisture meter obviously did. sorry for the length!
anyway, not too concerned as no damage to wood and will keep an eye on it. the carpet has been removed, and the laminate is next, as we intend to sand the floor which will increase ventilation.
however, since stripping back the wallpaper, with emulsion painted over it, the plaster has been drying out and there are now salts to about 50cm in places. How do I decorate over this? I dont want to start introducing waterproof repellants etc, as the 'damp' corner was already treated by a damp specialist when we bought the house, and i think this has just displaced the moisture elsewhere.
If there is no way of stopping some moisture getting through the bricks to the plaster/lining paper/new emulsion, could we dry line the wall, and if so, how much does this cost? (area wall 15m2). are there any breathable paints we could use on top of the lining paper, as we only noticed the problem in November, after painting over the wallpaper in July. prior to that, in winter last year it was just wallpaper and I cant recall seeing any moisture there last year, though the really foolproof moisture meter obviously did. sorry for the length!