- Joined
- 30 May 2022
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Have just moved into a new property, it's an early Victorian townhouse with a fully converted and tanked basement. Typical terrace layout with lounge at the front, dining room behind lounge and the kitchen behind the hallway offset to the side.
It was mentioned in the survey about a lack of ventilation (no air bricks) for the ground floor subfloor. We also have a bit of a damp/musty smell coming up from under the skirting at the back of the living room against the internal dividing wall.
I fully appreciate with a suspended (over dirt) wood floor you need to ventilate as moisture rises from the bare ground. However our ground floor is above a tanked and heater basement, so for all intents and purposes it's like any first floor wooden floor. There would be no space below the joists for airflow regardless as the basement ceiling would be nailed to the underside of the joists,.
Equally though it's smells a bit... I'm going to pull up a floorboard at some point and investigate but other than a lack of ventilation I don't see how this spot could get damp as it's on an internal wall and a good 2m+ above the basement floor. Potentially could be a leak or something but I can't see any marks on the plaster ceiling below.
The house had been fully renovated having been empty for a few years apparently so could it be something historic which will clear over time just by keeping the house warm and ventilated?
The flooring is square edge boards so there should be general airflow, although there is fluffy insulation between the joists which may prevent that.
Appreciate any help!
It was mentioned in the survey about a lack of ventilation (no air bricks) for the ground floor subfloor. We also have a bit of a damp/musty smell coming up from under the skirting at the back of the living room against the internal dividing wall.
I fully appreciate with a suspended (over dirt) wood floor you need to ventilate as moisture rises from the bare ground. However our ground floor is above a tanked and heater basement, so for all intents and purposes it's like any first floor wooden floor. There would be no space below the joists for airflow regardless as the basement ceiling would be nailed to the underside of the joists,.
Equally though it's smells a bit... I'm going to pull up a floorboard at some point and investigate but other than a lack of ventilation I don't see how this spot could get damp as it's on an internal wall and a good 2m+ above the basement floor. Potentially could be a leak or something but I can't see any marks on the plaster ceiling below.
The house had been fully renovated having been empty for a few years apparently so could it be something historic which will clear over time just by keeping the house warm and ventilated?
The flooring is square edge boards so there should be general airflow, although there is fluffy insulation between the joists which may prevent that.
Appreciate any help!