DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi have just moved into a new flat and there is damp on one of the bedroom walls which is next to the bathroom. Where the damp has appeared is the other side of the shower unit in the bathroom. Should i simply check the grout on the tiling and the sealant around the shower base and replace if need be; will this suffice or need i do more?? :?

Should i paint over the damp in the bedroom once i have checked the sealant and grout or will i again need to do more to treat/conceal it??

Cheers
Matt

does the bathroom have an extractor fan fitted ? if not fit one and this will get rid of any water vapour when batheing or showering, to deal with the damp an undercoat should be used first, something like unibond or some damp seal, then it can be re-painted.

If damp has appeared on two sides of the same wall, have you checked above this wall (in loft or upstairs) for leaks etc ?

Many Thanks for this advice. The damp only appears on the bedroom wall one side and is very low down and literally right on the back of where the shower unit is in the other room which made me think that the cause was the shower leaking rather than an exterior leak.

There isnt currently an extractor fan in the bathroom so i think a bit of investment needed there. This may certainly help remove any condensation when shower is in use.

Once again cheers for this

:lol:

Matt

Please ignore the above posting regarding painting over damp using a sealer. This is asking for trouble and sealing water into a wall is simply asking it to move elsewhere or stay where it is and turn into, very possibly, wet or dry rot. Dealing with the effects of a problem (like putting a cloth under a dripping tap) will not cure the problem. You need to get to the cause and once the extractor, or other ventilation has stopped the problem, and the damp has dried out, you can decorate properly. If you intend to decorate with emulsion then you will need to use a stain blocker first as the water stain will keep coming through the emulsion. See our project on blocking water stains.

I will make sure then that the cause of the problem is established first, rather that simply "paperin over the cracks" so to speak. I believe that the sealant around the shower base unit isnt great so i think the first job will be to replace this. Once the sealant is replaced and the fan fitted, i will then hope to see a noted improvement where i can then think of decorating the wall in the bedroom via the method advised in the guidance.

Thanks for your assistance

Matt