Probably not the most interesting of topics but really need some urgent help so wondering if anyone in this broad church can advise what to do next?
On Friday we awoke to blistering paint on a upstairs hallway ledge, soaking underneath, and a wet patch on the ceiling corner above it. My initial thought was a leak from pipework in the loft or a leak from roof. Called out British Gas homecare to investigate but turned out everything was completely dry up there. Then to my horror, in the room behind the wet ceiling corner, there is an airing cupboard with a newly installed unvented hot water cylinder (from feb) - I opened the airing cupboard up to find the back corner walls absolutely soaked and weeping with damp.
Since then, in the last few days the water damage is spreading daily. I cannot believe how fast and how far the damp can travel. The ledge is literally soaking with water droplets.
I have made a start on some ventilation with some air vents and started to wrap some of the pipes in insulation lagging last night, but wondering if this will fix things?
Or how bad the damage to my walls is already before I call in the pros? the wall literally weeps water when you press it from inside the airing cupboard. Never seen anything like it. There were some cracks to the plaster internally in the airing cupboard which have opened up and am guessing the condensation is getting in this way?
Anything else I can do? Will the lagging help? I'm trying to reduce where the cold air meets the hot air from the pipes, should i insulate the damp walls or leave them be? In the past the airing cupboard had lots of polystyrene as insulation internally. is this a good or bad thing?
Have ordered some humidity meters and a portable dehumidifier. Who to call next too? The RICS guys only seem to specialise in house valuations and the Damping guys will want to sell me their solution??
Any advice gratefully appreciated. Really am at wits end and trying to nurse my father who has just come out of hospital.
On Friday we awoke to blistering paint on a upstairs hallway ledge, soaking underneath, and a wet patch on the ceiling corner above it. My initial thought was a leak from pipework in the loft or a leak from roof. Called out British Gas homecare to investigate but turned out everything was completely dry up there. Then to my horror, in the room behind the wet ceiling corner, there is an airing cupboard with a newly installed unvented hot water cylinder (from feb) - I opened the airing cupboard up to find the back corner walls absolutely soaked and weeping with damp.
Since then, in the last few days the water damage is spreading daily. I cannot believe how fast and how far the damp can travel. The ledge is literally soaking with water droplets.
I have made a start on some ventilation with some air vents and started to wrap some of the pipes in insulation lagging last night, but wondering if this will fix things?
Or how bad the damage to my walls is already before I call in the pros? the wall literally weeps water when you press it from inside the airing cupboard. Never seen anything like it. There were some cracks to the plaster internally in the airing cupboard which have opened up and am guessing the condensation is getting in this way?
Anything else I can do? Will the lagging help? I'm trying to reduce where the cold air meets the hot air from the pipes, should i insulate the damp walls or leave them be? In the past the airing cupboard had lots of polystyrene as insulation internally. is this a good or bad thing?
Have ordered some humidity meters and a portable dehumidifier. Who to call next too? The RICS guys only seem to specialise in house valuations and the Damping guys will want to sell me their solution??
Any advice gratefully appreciated. Really am at wits end and trying to nurse my father who has just come out of hospital.
