Damp/moisture corner diagnosis

[yaboy123]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is not in the correct section.

We have some damp appearing in the upper corner of our bedroom upstairs. This corner is an outer corner of the house, where the two outside walls meet. The other two bedrooms upstairs also have this to a lesser extent on their outer corners. It only appears when we come in to winter.

Can someone advise what may be causing this and if there is a possible fix/cure? We have been told about it possibly being condensation as the heat from the house rises and meets the outer top corners where the walls are cold.

Pictures attached and TIA!

 

[^woody^]

If it only happens in the colder months, it's condensation.

Check for lack of insulation in the loft above, and follow standard advice (google or other threads) for dealing with excess humidity and condensation generally.

 

[JohnD]

Condensation is worst in the homes of people who drape wet washing over radiators and banisters inside the house. You don't do that, do you?

When you want to verify condensation, tape a piece of clear plastic or clingfilm to the wall.

If it is condensation, it will appear on the room side of the plastic.

If it is coming from the wall, water will appear on the wall side.

Condensation can occur in a loft and run down the felt. Go and have a look with a torch on a cold morning before the sun warms it.

The position also suggests a blocked or spilling gutter. Please photograph the outside of that wall. Might be roof, especially if flat.

 

[yaboy123]

Condensation is worst in the homes of people who drape wet washing over radiators and banisters inside the house. You don't do that, do you?

No, we don't do anything like that.

When you want to verify condensation, tape a piece of clear plastic or clingfilm to the wall.

If it is condensation, it will appear on the room side of the plastic.

If it is coming from the wall, water will appear on the wall side.

Good idea - will try! There's also quite a lot of water build up on the insides of our window.

The position also suggests a blocked or spilling gutter. Please photograph the outside of that wall. Might be roof, especially if flat.

This corner, and the others I mentioned are all corners at a gable end of the house. We have no flat roofs.

Thanks for your help @^woody^ & @JohnD !

 

[JohnD]

Good idea - will try! There's also quite a lot of water build up on the insides of our window.

It looks like you have an older house with uninsulated walls, these do get cold. Once they get damp they are even colder. Do check the gutters though.

Water vapour is lighter than air and rises through the house. Sometimes there is a source you can't see, like a leak under the floor. Otherwise, use a powerful extractor fan in the bathroom and kitchen.

It is good practice to open bedroom windows each morning, this reduces accumulation of damp.

Also use Trickle vents if you have them.

 

[yaboy123]

So…

Here’s how things are looking. Things have been cold here in the UK over the last few days.
There’s drips of water now forming. Does this still appear like condensation?

There doesn’t appear to be a leak, and it hasn’t really rained in the last couple of dahs this has ramped up. We’ve a lot of condensation on imthe inside of our windows in the morning flowing down to a little pool on the window sill.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[^woody^]

Same as the first picture, same cause, same answer.