DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi we all live in a 1930s appartment block.
Since the Clean Air Act of 1952 the fireplaces that were originally designed to correctly heat the building using coal have been blocked up and will probably never be in use again.
This leaves the place very cold obviously.
Central Heating cannot be installed as the flats are too small and the whole place is well nigh impossible to insulate properly so heatwould just fly out the windows.
Besides the expense for such a large building would be prohibitive.
However this is about damp.
The building appears to have a vague damp "problem"worse in some quarters than others.
the construction is red brick on steel girders.
Do you think the abolition of the chimneys warming the wall and subsequent tinkering have made this place "obsolete"?
We can see no solution but total demolition and start again?
Of course no Council would ever have the guts to reccommend this solution...
Damp seems to be seeping through from soaked windswept outer walls in winter that never seem to dry out quickly to make the inside walls often cold to the touch with black mould patches tending to form high up in places where there is contact with outer walls only.
Condensation forms even when the place has all the windows open and
has been unheated!!!!!!
In cold mid Winters icicles can be found in the indoor toilet and bathroom!
This 80 year old obsolete place surely needs demolishing?
Please advise?
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BUY IOLITE VAPORIZER

Take a look at any one of our damp projects and ring the phone number for Property Repair Systems. They give free, no obligation advice and we recommend them. They will tell you what you need to do (if anything) and will also be able to supply you with anything you need to do it with but will certainly not try to sell you anything you don't need

Hmmm Thanks but dont think I will do that.The Tenants dont own the property.You really need to contact large millionaire Landlords to sell your service.Good Luck!BTW Your reply-a rote form commercial advert-indicates that you almost certainly have not read thoroughly,if at all,the posting in any detail.Instead the advert-an appeal for someone to spend money with you-is not really very effective.A more effective strategy might be to use any knowledge you have on the topic at hand to at least engage in a cursory discussion of the problems and solutions before you launch into your "sales pitch"?
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NO2 VAPORIZER

On the contrary Lazens. The many damp projects on the website, including cold spots and replastering after damp treatment give the user a great idea of how to diagnose and remedy just the scenario you outline. The "sales pitch" you refer to, unless I am mistaken, offers FREE advice with no obligation. If we felt this was any kind of attempt to extort money from you it would not be published. Free advice is something you came to teh forum for. When its offered by professionals with many many years of experience, you refuse it just in case someone tries to sell you something you will need anyway. Odd methinks, but its your call. Diydoctor

The best way to improve this building would be to install external and internal insulation, in the form of insulated panels and decorative wall boards. However, in practice this is often unacceptable as far as external appearances go or too expensive to install externally - partial building cover would also be prohibited no doubt.

Therefore, in my opinion, the best alternative at a reasonable price would be to line the inside walls only with an Air Gap Membrane, battened type, to which insulation and plaster board are added. This combination of dimply plastic membrane, insulation and plaster board gives a damp proof and warm finish.

The steel frame of the building probably forms cold 'bridges', which conduct away the heat. Lack of chimneys and heating obviously won't help, but an insulated lining should overcome the poor thermal quality of the building and reduce heating costs considerably.

Linings of this type are not too expensive and if there is doubt concerning the external walls with regards to penetration of dampness a high quality water repellent (Silane or Acrylic) could be employed to reduce moisture uptake and cold spotting.

Regards,

David Moore
B.A. (Hons)., C.T.I.S., C.R.D.S.