# Smell of damp in house whenever it rains!



## Kerrigan (12 Aug 2011)

Hi, would love to hear thoughts please:

I have a property; circa 1930's; currently being being leased.  I got a call from the tenants to say there was a strong smell of damp, during and after rainfall!  Sounded strange as previous tenants never complained but they were regularly there.

I drove over to the house and low and behold the place had a strong damp smell lingering in the air.  

Weather clears up and damp smell goes.

As you can gather tenants are getting annoyed so I am at a loss as to what would be causing this.

Is it possible windows and doors need replacing?

Completely at a loss??


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## AlbacoreA (12 Aug 2011)

Sounds like a leak somewhere. You'd need to hunt it down, starting in the attic. Checking around the chimney is a good place to start.


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## BillK (12 Aug 2011)

As AlbacoreA suggests, you should check the flashing round the chimney as this is the most likely source of damp. This assumes that there are no slates or tiles missing.


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## monagt (12 Aug 2011)

maybe the chimney capping has cracked, check it and the chimney in the attic, is it damp?


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## AlbacoreA (12 Aug 2011)

Leaks can just appear  a long way from the problem. We had a leak that came through the flashing on the chimney ran down the inside of the plaster and only appeared at the bottom of the fire place.


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## Kerrigan (13 Aug 2011)

Thanks a million for the feedback. I had a roofer out this morning to take a look. He said there was no problem with the roof / chimney area. I was hoping that this would be the problem, as it would be easily enough remedied.

More worryingly, I pulled out an armchair and noticed the wall behind it was soaking wet; as if the damp was rising from the ground. 

The guy mentioned, that he was doing some construction on a similar house within the area and was flabbergasted at the amount of water under the ground, when he was laying foundations. He said he had never seen anything like it before. Would this be what's causing the damp smell? There is no dampness upstairs in the house, only downstairs.

I'm back to the drawing board before the tenants decide enough is enough.


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## AlbacoreA (13 Aug 2011)

Fix the leak in the roof then see what happens.


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## SparkRite (13 Aug 2011)

Kerrigan said:
			
		

> I had a roofer out this morning to take a look. He said there was no problem with the roof / chimney area.





AlbacoreA said:


> Fix the leak in the roof then see what happens.



What leak are you referring to AlbacoreA?


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## AlbacoreA (13 Aug 2011)

oops, my bad I read that wrong.

I guess then you'd got to get a builder or similar to some out and look at the damp you did find.


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## colm5 (13 Aug 2011)

When the ground gets wet the walls will absorb more water, but sounds a bit on and off. To fix the rising damp you can install an electronic probe, cheap and effective, below the floor level.

The 'smell' is a fungus, not the damp it self I would think, as damp doesn't smell, its water. You may need some anti-funguside


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## BedfordProp (7 Sep 2011)

*Damp experts*

May I recomend finding a suitable Damp Expert. The property care association are an excellent trade association who train and audit damp proofing firms.

Many surveyors I met who are part of the PCA are very knowledgeable.

I would suggest checking out the drainage around your sub-floor. If water is draining to under your floor this might explain the musky smell. Also, I'd agree that mould may be the source of the smell rather tham moisture itself.

Hope that's of some help,

Ben


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## Leo (7 Sep 2011)

Welcome to AAM BedfordProp. Please note this is an Irish site, and the PCA do not operate here.
Leo


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## hastalavista (8 Sep 2011)

colm5 said:


> When the ground gets wet the walls will absorb more water, but sounds a bit on and off. To fix the rising damp you can install an electronic probe, cheap and effective, below the floor level.
> 
> The 'smell' is a fungus, not the damp it self I would think, as damp doesn't smell, its water. You may need some anti-funguside




Would welcome detains of the probe mentioned here please.

I have been asked to advise on  a house with a serious damp problem, 1930's house, externally rendered, drylined inside, dont know yet what the wall is made of, whether lime build or other.

old floor was dug out and concrete laid on plastic sheeting.

Have read before about chemicals being " pumped" into the walls etc.

Welcome ideas and any links please.

I am of the old school so drilling and pumping chemicals into the walls does not seem like a viable runner, its a bit like pumping insulation onto cavity _block_ walls

All ideas welcome


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